MO House committee endorses proposed gasoline tax increase

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Missouri House committee unanimously endorsed a proposal to increase the state’s gasoline tax.

The House Transportation Committee’s vote on Monday sends the measure to the full House, where some Republicans oppose raising taxes. If it’s approved, Missouri’s gasoline tax would increase 12.5 cents over five years, resulting in a tax of 29.5 cents per gallon. It would be the first increase since 1996.

House Speaker Rob Vescovo, a Republican from Arnold, has previously said he’s against tax hikes. The Senate approved the measure in March. Supporters say the state needs the revenue to repair deteriorating infrastructure.

MoDOT kicks-off Work Zone Awareness Week

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) begins Work Zone Awareness Week Monday.

MoDOT employee Frank Shadwell recalls a time he was driving a truck-mounted attenuator (TMA) for a moving work zone when, in an instant, a vehicle sped into the back of his truck. Dozens of MoDOT employees share similar experiences. The department saw 33% more TMA crashes in 2020 than 2019, most often caused by speeding and distractions.

Shadwell and other work zone crash survivors share their stories at a virtual news briefing to promote awareness for work zone safety during National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 26-30. Gov. Mike Parson also joined the discussion to stress the important role all Missourians play in making work zones a safer place to drive and work.

Bill in Missouri House seeks to ban DWI checkpoints

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A bill moving through the Missouri House would ban DWI checkpoints in the state.

The bill would add a constitutional amendment prohibiting checkpoints and road blocks with exceptions for emergency situations like civil unrest and fleeing felons. In testimony supporters of the amendment argue the checkpoints violate constitutional rights, and say the money would be better spent on other patrol tactics.

Some of the organizations opposed the bill include Missouri Peace Officers Association and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. In their testimony, they pointed to data showing the checkpoints lead to 20 percent decrease in alcohol related crashes.

If it passes, Missouri voters would vote on the measure on the 2022 November ballot.

H.R. 11

Bridgework to create traffic delay at I-49 in Pineville

PINEVILLE, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says contractors will begin work on a bridge at I-49/U.S. Route 71 near Goodin Hollow Road in Pineville, Missouri. Drivers can expect traffic delays on Tuesday, April 13 from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. the next morning.

Contractor will begin setting girders for I-49 flyover bridge. The work will leave the southbound I-49 left lane closed.  Drivers should expect traffic delays and short-term stoppages during nighttime hours while girders are being set.

All lanes of I-49 will be open to traffic once girders set.

Vernon County Route BB bridge to close for replacement

VERNON COUNTY, Mo. – MoDOT will close the Vernon County Route BB bridge over Moore Branch south of Nevada, Missouri during a replacement project. Officials say the bridge will be close for up to 90 days beginning the week of March 22.

Contractor crews will replace the old bridge with a new structure as well as installing new guardrail at the ends of the bridge.

Traffic impacts:

  • All lanes of Route BB CLOSED over Moore Branch for up to 90 days
  • Drivers will be able to access entrances on either side of the bridge, but will not be able to travel through the work zone
  • No signed detour
  • Drivers urged to find alternate routes around work zone
  • Signs and message boards will alert drivers approaching the work zone

This bridge is included in Gov. Mike Parson’s $351 million Focus on Bridges program, which will repair or replace 250 bridges across the state. Route BB Bridge project cost a of $1.9 million.

Part of I-49 to close during concrete replacement project

JASPER COUNTY, Mo. – Segments of I-49 will close to traffic beginning on April 5 while MoDOT replaces the concrete pavement between I-44 and a point south of Jasper County Route FF (32nd Street) in Joplin. The closing could last for up to 16 days.

Contractor crews will remove and replace 1.4 miles of concrete pavement beginning in the southbound lanes. Both lanes of traffic will be closed in each direction ’round the clock. When that work is complete, the southbound lanes will be reopened to traffic and crews will move to the northbound lanes. Both northbound lanes will be closed ‘round the clock.

Traffic Impacts:

  • Phase 1:
    • All lanes of southbound I-49 CLOSED ’round the clock for up to 16 days for pavement replacement
    • All lanes of northbound I-49 open
  • Phase 2:
    • All lanes of northbound I-49 CLOSED ‘round the clock for up to 16 days for pavement replacement
    • All lanes of southbound I-49 open
  • Route FF (32nd Street) ramps will be CLOSED in the direction of the work being done
  • Expect increased travel times
  • Drivers will be directed to signed detour using Business Loop 49, I-44 and Missouri Route 59

Joplin’s Hideout Harley Davidson chapter holds Crystal Bridges ride

JOPLIN, Mo. –The Hideout Harley-Davidson chapter in Joplin held their monthly weekend ride on Sunday. Although, this chapter usually meets on the third Saturday of every month.

All of their rides are open to the public to join in. They made the trip from the Harley Davidson store in Joplin all the way to Crystal Bridges in Rogers, Arkansas.

Dwain Wilcox, a member of the local Harley Davidson chapter says one of the many reasons he loves being a part of this group is due to how they give back to the community. 

“Enjoy each other’s company, we have a lot of fun. we do a lot of riding. We’ve done a food drive that we started this year, so we’re doing that throughout the year for different places in the community. Try to help them out, give back a little bit.”

Wilcox added that he enjoys riding due to the freedom the open road offers him.

“You don’t have to worry about any other problems or anything and you can enjoy everybody’s company, everybody has a great time, and there’s no better feeling than getting on a Harley and taking off.”

He says if anyone in the four-state area is looking to go riding along with them, regardless of if they own a Harley, to come out and join them.

US infrastructure gets slightly better grade on engineers’ report card: C-

RESTON, Va. – America’s infrastructure received an overall grade of C- from the American Society of Civil Engineers, according to the group’s 2021 Report Card, released Wednesday.

The scorecard — which the society has released every four years since 1998 — is the first time the nation’s infrastructure has scored outside the D range in 20 years, the group said.

Despite the upgrade, society Executive Director Tom Smith contends this year’s ranking still misses the mark.

“While that is an incremental, small improvement, it still is not something to write home about. It’s certainly not a grade that you’d be proud of,” Smith told CNN.

The society, which represents civil engineers around the world and frequently advocates for increased investment in infrastructure, evaluated the United States on 17 major categories, including aviation, roads, bridges, drinking water, energy and schools.

At the top of the class was rail, which earned the highest mark, a B, while transit scored the lowest, with a D-.

Drinking water — which has received renewed attention after a massive winter storm slammed the South last month, disrupting water service and triggering boil water notices — earned a C-.

Overall, 11 of the 17 categories received D range grades, “a clear signal that our overdue bill on infrastructure is a long way from being paid off,” the report concludes.

The report’s grading scale ranges from A, indicating the infrastructure is “exceptional, fit for the future,” to F, meaning “unacceptable condition with widespread, advanced signs of deterioration.”

A grade of B signals the infrastructure is in “good to excellent condition,” while C is classified as “mediocre” and “fair to good condition” with some elements exhibiting “significant deficiencies in conditions and functionality.” The D range indicates poor and “mostly below standard,” with condition and capacity at “strong risk of failure.”

The society further cautions that “significant challenges lie ahead,” pointing to how US infrastructure has been strained by the coronavirus pandemic and the impacts of severe weather throughout the country.

“Just as cars demand tune-ups and roofs require incremental repairs, our infrastructure needs robust and sustainable funding to make continued needed improvements over time,” the assessment notes. “Putting off investment now will cost us and future generations down the line.”

Rep. Peter DeFazio, who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, weighed in on the latest infrastructure grades, calling them “not acceptable.”

“Once again we have a comprehensive scorecard from the American Society of Civil Engineers and America’s overall infrastructure is rated at C minus. Wastewater, highways, transit are all rated in the Ds. This is not acceptable,” DeFazio, an Oregon Democrat, said in a statement Wednesday. “The States can’t go it alone. The cities can’t go it alone. They need a Federal partner.”

The Biden administration has signaled it intends to make infrastructure investments a priority as part of a larger agenda focused on rebuilding the economy during the pandemic. Last month, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg met with a bipartisan group of senators at the White House to discuss infrastructure.

Smith expressed optimism for infrastructure investments being a “uniting factor” for the country.

“When you invest in infrastructure, it’s important for rural, it’s important for urban, it’s important for red, it’s important for blue states,” Smith said.

KDOT puts weight restriction on K-7 due to asphalt failure

CRAWFORD COUNTY, Kan. – The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has placed a truck weight restriction of 20 tons on K-7, from K-47 at Girard north to K-39.

KDOT officials say the restriction is a result of asphalt failure on K-7 within the city limits of Girard. The restriction is in effect until repairs can be made to the highway.

People with questions are asked to contact KDOT Construction Engineer Kyler Farmer, (620) 308-7621, or Public Affairs Manager Priscilla Petersen, (620) 902-6433.