A top Columbia business leader praises the planned $441-million project to improve and expand the 14-mile stretch of I-70 from Rocheport to Columbia.
Columbia Regional Economic Development Incorporated (REDI) president Paul Eisenstein, who attended the recent groundbreaking ceremony, says this is everything:
“One of the big benefits we have in Columbia and Boone County is how connected we are through the rest of the state, to Kansas City, St. Louis and to our state’s capitol (Jefferson City). And I-70 going to three lanes both ways it just means everything for our economy. We can continue to grow we can bring more jobs for our residents,” he says.
Columbia-based Emery Sapp and Sons (ESS) has been chosen as design-build contractor for the project, which will include 14 new bridge structures.
President Eisenstein also wants to see more companies use Columbia’s COLT railroad, which connects to Norfolk Southern in Centralia:
“We think there’s all sorts of opportunity for industrial use combined with the expansion of I-70. More utilization of a COLT short-line rail would be a big deal for our economy,” he says.
The city of Columbia says the COLT railroad’s five-year direct economic impact accounts for $670-million in sales, more than 240 jobs and $2.4 million in tax revenue in Columbia/Boone County.