Missouri’s governor and governor-elect, state lawmakers in both parties, Boone County commissioners and state transportation officials are expected to be in Rocheport for next week’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for the brand-new $220-million I-70 bridge.
The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is planning an invite-only event, due to limited parking in the area. Tuesday’s ceremony will take place on the new I-70 eastbound bridge in Rocheport. MoDOT says the project is on schedule to have eastbound traffic shifted to the new bridge by the end of December.
MoDOT director Ed Hassinger will also be speaking at the ceremony. MoDOT has described the I-70 Rocheport bridge as the lynchpin of America, noting it carries more than 12-million vehicles per year. The project includes two new bridges, with three lanes each way. MODOT says the new bridge is expected to last at least 60 years.
Missouri received an $81-million federal grant from the Trump administration for the project. It was the largest competitive grant ever received by MoDOT. Governor Mike Parson has told 939 the Eagle that the $81-million grant was crucial. He notes four-million trucks cross the aging bridge annually. Missouri Farm Bureau has also praised that federal grant, saying the new bridge is critical in shipping farm products to buyers across the globe.
