Missouri’s over $2 billion Improve I-70 Project that will add a third lane and connect St. Louis to Kansas City is in full swing.

Eric Kopinski, MoDOT’s Improve I-70 Project Director, told Missourinet what travel will look like in the construction areas this summer.

“The remainder of this summer, anyone traveling between Columbia and Kingdom City, Wentzville to Warrenton and then we’ll get started later this summer in the Blue Springs area, but those three areas we really would encourage anyone traveling across the state to really allow more time as they travel through those work zones,” said Kopinski. “We’re doing everything we can do as much work off peak hours. And what that means is we’re doing a lot of work at night.”

Kopinski says when traveling those areas, two lanes may be open, but the width or shoulders may be significantly less than what travelers are used to seeing.

When the college football season starts in August and with many people traveling to Columbia to watch the Tigers play, work in multiple areas of the Improve I-70 Project will be under full construction.

Kopinski, said they will adjust construction work around game day or game night.

“As fans of Mizzou football, we try to attend as many as we can when we’re not on site working, but we will make sure to the best of our ability not to have lanes closed while fans go to the game or are leaving the game. So, we’ll get better and more accurate communication as we get closer to kick off as to what fans can expect if they’re traveling from the Kansas City or St. Louis side.”

MoDOT expects the entire I-70 project will be completed by the end of 2030.