93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
The state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is encouraging you to attend today’s informational meeting in Columbia about Missouri’s massive $2.8 billion I-70 expansion plan.
The open house style meeting will take place from 5-7 pm at Battle high school on St. Charles road. MoDOT I-70 director Eric Kopinski joined us live on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri.”
“These meetings that we’re holding around the state at seven locations, they’re meant to set the baseline. So anybody from the public that wants to know what information we know at this time, we don’t have all the answers. But we do want to share what information we do have as we quickly launch this project into construction,” Kopinski tells listeners.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson (R) has signed bipartisan legislation into law providing the funding. The money will be used to plan, design, build, rebuild and expand I-70 to three lanes in each direction from Wentzville to Blue Springs, which is about 200 miles. MoDOT will NOT be making a formal presentation today, so you can arrive anytime between 5 and 7 at Battle high school.
Several 939 the Eagle listeners have asked about the Bob Evans, Steak ‘n Shake and Mark’s Mobile Glass near Columbia’s I-70 and Highway 63 interchange. We asked Mr. Kopinski about those locations during the live interview.
“And we have yet to know those answers if those businesses are going to be acquired with this project. But we’re doing everything we can to avoid buying businesses and property, because any dollar spent on relocating utilities or buying buildings or property is less money that we can spend making critical infrastructure improvements,” says Kopinski.
MoDOT also plans a similar meeting for tomorrow evening from 5-7 at Boonville’s Hannah Cole school primary gymnasium. You can listen to the full “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” interview with Mr. Kopinski here.
