COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Missouri Department of Transportation and law enforcement officials are urging drivers to slow down and stay alert in work zones along Interstate 70, where construction, traffic congestion, and recent crashes have raised safety concerns in Boone and Callaway counties.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F crash reports, 39 crashes involving 82 vehicles have occurred along I-70 between Jan. 1-Sept. 30. Troop F covers much of Mid-Missouri. MoDOT told ABC 17 News in September that eight semitrucks have overturned in work zones.
Despite the wrecks, MoDOT reports no work-zone deaths in the first two quarters of 2025. Boone County Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp said his crews have responded to more than half-a-dozen crashes in I-70 work zones in eastern Boone County during the past two months.
Construction and delays
MoDOT’s Central District has 12 active construction areas along I-70 in Boone and Callaway counties, with multiple pavement and bridge projects expected to cause delays through 2027.
On the westbound side, work zones include pavement projects near the Highway 54 interchange in Callaway County, Route J, Route M and the Highway 63 connector in Boone County. A long-term bridge reconstruction project between the Highway 54 west ramp and Route M in Callaway County is expected to last through February 2026.
For eastbound travelers, similar construction is underway between Highway 54, Route J and Route Z interchanges, as well as bridge work near Route HH in Callaway County. Several projects will continue into late 2027.
MoDOT officials said the $2.8 billion Improve I-70 Project remains on schedule for completion in December 2030. Nearly 500 people are currently working across the corridor, and MoDOT engineers report several “close calls” in recent months as crews and heavy machinery operate beside moving traffic.
Recent crashes and traffic impacts
Recent incidents have underscored the hazards in the corridor.
Sept. 13: A car overturned near mile-marker 140 in Callaway County, shutting down part of westbound I-70 for nearly an hour. Traffic backed up for miles, and a wide-load vehicle later became stuck after avoiding construction warning signs.
Oct. 4: A multi-vehicle crash near Boonville closed both directions of I-70 around mile-marker 91. At least one vehicle caught fire, and troopers reported heavy smoke and damaged vehicles blocking the highway. No injuries were reported, but the incident kept lanes closed for several hours.
MSHP and MoDOT say they are working closely to identify crash hot spots and increase patrols to curb aggressive driving in construction zones.
With football season underway, MoDOT has been issuing weekly traffic updates ahead of University of Missouri home games, when I-70 traffic volumes typically spike. Officials also remind drivers that fines double in work zones when workers are present.
MoDOT encourages motorists to check traveler information maps and plan for extra travel time through Boone and Callaway counties as construction continues.