Missouri’s governor says $81 million federal grant for I-70 Rocheport bridge project was larger than expected

Missouri’s governor says the $240-million new I-70 Rocheport bridge project has national significance.

Governor Mike Parson (R) tells 939 the Eagle that an $81-million federal grant was crucial. He notes four-million trucks cross the aging bridge annually.

“And I think you look at how important I-70 is for the economy of our country, not only for our state. It was just one of the things that matched up very well with their matching money. And frankly we got more money than we thought we were going to get,” Parson says.

The current deteriorating bridge was built in 1960. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expected to issue a final permit to the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) later this week, which would allow construction to start.

Governor Parson describes U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R) as a hero, for working to obtain the federal grant. The Trump administration awarded the grant to Missouri, and it was the largest competitive grant ever received by MoDOT.

“Both of those with Senator Blunt and President (Donald) Trump at the time and their administration worked very closely with us. Again, it was more money than we actually thought we would get, but they understood the infrastructure importance of this,” says Parson.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held this week in Rocheport, near Les Bourgeois. The new bridges are scheduled to be finished by December 2024.