Drivers traversing the rural landscapes of northwest Missouri should brace for a bit of orange cone fever. Starting Thursday, April 10, a significant resurfacing project will commence, as reported by the Missouri Department of Transportation . The initiative aims to smooth the travel on low volume rural routes across Chariton and Randolph Counties, focusing first on Chariton County Route W up to the junction with Missouri Route 3 in Randolph County.

For those accustomed to the usual two-lane freedom, be advised that traffic will be paired down to a single lane with construction flaggers guiding the way. While the metamorphosis of asphalt unfolds, travelers should anticipate delays. Besides Route W, this roadwork will extend its tendrils across several county routes, enveloping the likes of Carroll County's E, EE, T, UU, NN, Linn County's EE, W, Chariton's singular Route C, and a partnership of pavement between Linn and Chariton on Routes TT and ZZ.

All told, the project is a piece of a larger puzzle, one made possible by an infusion of $100 million into the state's FY2025 budget, earmarked for rural road sprucing. This allotment is a Segment of an extensive campaign to refurbish nearly 2,000 lane miles of roads, addressing 149 locations hungry for a facelift. The project's scope was detailed by the Missouri Department of Transportation and accounts for a patchwork of routes scheduled for completion by the close of October.