I-70

It's not just Kansas City's airport that expects to see an influx of visitors for this summer's World Cup. St. Louis also expects to field travelers, who will then need to trek across the state by car, Amtrak or bus.

Construction on Interstate 70 began in 2024, with the first section covering the stretch of highway between Columbia and Kingdom City.

The Missouri Department of Transportation said Wednesday there have been nearly 750 highway fatalities so far this year.

Ed Hassinger is replacing director Patrick McKenna, who left in September. MoDOT is in the middle of a project expanding Interstate 70 to three lanes in both directions.

Missouri Republicans campaigning for lieutenant governor in the August primary are making it one of the year's most crowded races, including two state senators, an attorney, a county clerk and a businessman.

The Missouri Department of Transportation is expanding I-70 to three lanes each way, with the first 20-mile section expected to be completed by the end of 2027. More than 40,000 vehicles travel between Kansas City and St. Louis each day.

Nearly 200 people died in Kansas City car crashes in 2022 and 2023. The numbers suggest that high speeds and intersections, particularly on Truman Road, pose the greatest danger.

Kansas Turnpike Authority officials say the updated tollway will be more convenient for drivers because they don’t need to stop at a tollbooth when exiting the turnpike.

The construction project is carved up into segments. The first section tackled will be a 20-mile stretch in mid-Missouri between Columbia and Kingdom City.

The $2.8 billion project will expand Interstate 70 to three lanes in each direction across the state.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson spoke to KCUR's Up To Date about the case of Kansas City Police officer Eric DeValkenaere, the expansion of I-70, the 2024 gubernatorial race, and Kansas City's new gun ordinances.

Included in the budget passed by lawmakers this session and signed by Gov. Mike Parson in June was around $2.8 billion to expand I-70 to three lanes in each direction. On Wednesday, commissioners approved the first steps of acquiring that money.