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The Missouri Department of Transportation has made significant progress in completing a number of long-awaited highway corridors this year. By the end of 2010, 96 miles of new four-lane highway will be added to the books, with the potential for 12 more miles to come online either late this year or in early 2011.

This progress, largely spurred by additional revenue from a voter-approved Constitutional amendment in 2004, means safer highways, less congestion, and increased economic activity.

Unfortunately, Missourians will see fewer projects that expand the highway system during the next five years because of a decrease in funding available for transportation.

"We've reaped great benefits from our efforts to complete four-lane highway corridors in
Missouri," MoDOT Interim Director Kevin Keith said. "Today, 86 percent of our major highways are in good condition and traffic fatalities are the lowest they've been since 1950."

Corridors completed or scheduled for completion this year include:
• Highway 50 — eight miles south of California completing a segment from St. Martin's to west of California
• Highway 100 — 10 miles from Washington to Interstate 44
• Highway 60 — 34 miles from Mountain View to west of Van Buren
• Highway 36 — 30 miles from Clarence to Monroe City
• Highway 13 — eight miles from the Polk/Greene County line to south of Bolivar
• Highway 65 — six miles from Foose to Buffalo

In addition, seven miles of additional highway lanes on Route 5 from south of Camdenton to the Laclede County line and five miles on Highway 54 from the Osage River Bridge to the
Grand Glaize Bridge in Osage Beach could open this year.

Since 2003, MoDOT has worked hard to close the gaps along several other corridors, including highways 21, 61, 63, 71 and 412. While these major improvements show that MoDOT is honoring its commitments, they will be among the last projects of their types the department will be able to build in coming years.

In March 2010, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission adopted a new five-year direction to address a steep decline in funding available for highway and bridge construction.

"Our focus now is on how we can maintain the progress we've made with the resources we have available," Keith said.