(LISTEN): Columbia’s busy Route B seeing more and more delivery trucks; traffic study underway

By Brian Hauswirth
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A traffic study is now underway along Columbia’s busy Route B, where manufacturers and business owners say a new traffic light and turn lane is needed between Schneider Electric and Swift Foods.

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Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe speaks at the April 6, 2023 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new $200-million Swift Foods plant on Route B, as Boone County Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick listens (file photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

The issue was discussed at August’s Columbia Regional Economic Development Incorporated (REDI) board meeting. REDI president Paul Eisenstein tells 939 the Eagle that the manufacturers are concerned about the safety of their employees:

“We’re partnering with our Route B manufacturers who are very interested in this. And they’re the one who brought this traffic study needs to us. And we’re excited to partner with them,” says Mr. Eisenstein.

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Schneider Electric executives joined Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe and Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe at the recent groundbreaking ceremony (May 13, 2025 file photo courtesy of Missouri Department of Economic Development’s Twitter)

The business owners and REDI are paying for the $35,000 traffic study. Heavily-traveled Route B is seeing more and more delivery trucks, especially in the busy food corridor near Swift Foods. Schneider Electric broke ground in May on a $73-million expansion at their plant on Route B. They plan to add 241 new jobs. Swift Foods opened its massive $200-million plant next to Schneider Electric in 2023: the Swift Foods plant is the largest private investment in Columbia history.