Look for heavy traffic on Missouri highways today (Thursday) and throughout the Fourth of July weekend.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol says every available trooper will be on the roads and waterways throughout the holiday weekend starting today. Patrol Lieutenant Eric Brown urges you to plan ahead:
“You know we’ve got over 1,000 construction zones that are active in the state of Missouri right now. Plan that trip, plan ahead. Be ready for delays. Leave in plenty of time so you don’t have that urge to speed. Obey the traffic laws, put on your seat belt,” Lt. Brown says.
During Missouri’s 2024 Fourth of July holiday counting period, 14 motorists were killed and another 560 were injured in about 1,400 crashes. This year’s holiday counting period begins at 6 this evening and runs through 11:59 on Sunday night.
Lt. Brown emphasizes you need to follow the speed limits in construction work zones, whether you see workers in the area or not. That includes the 20-mile stretch of I-70 between Columbia and Kingdom City. Lt. Brown is urging you to slow down in that area:
“You look at the one that is between Columbia and Kingdom City. The way it’s designed with the concrete walls on both sides. There’s no room if a crash occurs, the roadway is probably going to be blocked. It’s going to be difficult for motorists to travel through there after a crash,” Lt. Brown says.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol is participating in Operation CARE this weekend. That stands for crash awareness and reduction effort. Troopers will be enforcing traffic laws and assisting motorists all weekend, starting today.
