93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
A state lawmaker who represents Marshall and Warrensburg in the Missouri House describes the new I-70 Rocheport bridge project as crucial for his constituents.
State Rep. Kurtis Gregory (R-Marshall) serves on the House Agriculture Policy Committee.
“As (Columbia) Mayor Brian Treece said, virtually any product that goes into Columbia crosses this bridge. The same way for me in Marshall and Saline County and Warrensburg and on west. You know, everything crosses there,” Gregory says.
ConAgra and Cargill both operate plants in Marshall, and their trucks cross the Rocheport bridge daily. Representative Gregory says the new bridge is critical for agriculture.
“And you’ve got all the grain and ag products that are going to St. Louis or Mexico to the ADM plants there. Just so much traffic goes across this bridge that affects the entire state, and quite frankly, the country,” says Gregory.
The former Mizzou football captain is referring to Archer-Daniels-Midland in Mexico, Missouri.
Missouri has received an $81-million federal grant for the new bridge, which is the largest competitive grant ever received by MoDOT.
Representative Gregory attended the recent groundbreaking ceremony in Rocheport. The current deteriorating bridge was built in 1960. The new bridges are scheduled to be completed by December 2024.
