The replacement of a Joachim Creek bridge in Herculaneum and the rehabilitation of the Meramec River bridge in the Arnold area remain in the Missouri Department of Transportation’s five-year plan for improvements to roads and bridges, according to a draft of a plan MoDOT released this month.
The plan, called the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP), includes $13.2 billion in transportation-related projects around the state for fiscal years 2026-2030, which runs from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030. The projects will be covered by a combination of federal and state funds.
MoDOT announced the proposed plan on May 7 and is accepting public comments about the list of projects through June 6. The plan may be viewed at modot.org/DRAFTSTIP, and comments may be made by email to STIPcomments@modot.mo.gov, by phone at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or by mail to Transportation Planning, Program Comments, PO Box 270, Jefferson City, 65102. When commenting, include project-specific information such as job number or county and route.
A summary of comments will be presented to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission following the public review period. After reviewing the summary and the final transportation program, it will be considered for approval on July 9.
Jefferson County projects
The draft of the plan includes 12 projects in Jefferson County totaling an estimated $83,944,000.
The two bridge projects are the most expensive Jefferson County projects in the STIP.
At $20,890,000, rehabilitating the twin bridges over the Meramec River on I-55 north of Arnold is the most expensive. Construction is scheduled to start in November.
The same bridge is listed in the STIP for a 2028 project that involves painting the bridge at an estimated cost of $9,428,000.
“We normally like to have a separate job for the painting since it saves cost that way,” said Rachel Sudduth, senior communications specialist for MoDOT’s St. Louis District.
The replacement of the Herculaneum bridge on Hwy. 61-67 is the second most expensive at $20,758,000. The plan calls for the bridge over the Joachim Creek between Scenic Drive and Herky-Horine Road to be replaced, which would bring it above flood level. The project also includes a slide repair on Hwy. 61-67 from north of Herky-Horine Road to Joachim Avenue.
Construction is slated to begin in July.
MoDOT officials have said they do not want to tie up I-55 and Hwy. 61-67 with road construction at the same time.
“The project award will proceed as usual, but there will be no large traffic-impacting work zones until there is no conflict with the I-55 Jefferson County (Corridor) Improvement project,” Sudduth said.
The I-55 project, which includes widening an 8-mile stretch of I-55 from Pevely to just south of Festus, began in January 2024 and is expected to end in December 2026.
The third most expensive project on the STIP, at $17,354,000, is resurfacing an 11-mile stretch of Hwy. 61-67 from Hwy. M in Barnhart to Hwy. 67 south of Festus. The project includes upgrades to guardrails and improvements to existing pedestrian access, such as crosswalks and traffic signals along the highway. It also includes the replacement of culverts south of Schmidt Road in Barnhart and south of Hillside Estates Drive in Pevely.
Sudduth said MoDOT is in the process of planning a public meeting for that project, with construction scheduled to begin in March 2026.
The following are other Jefferson County projects in the STIP draft
■ Hwy. 110/Hwy. 61-67/Hwy. T: Rehabilitation of a bridge over the Joachim Creek and Union Pacific railroad tracks near De Soto; rehabilitation of another bridge on Hwy. 61-67 over Rock Creek and rehabilitation of a third bridge over Plattin Creek on Hwy. T south of Festus.
Estimated cost: $2,703,000
Construction: 2028
■ Hwy. 30/Hwy. PP: Nearly 8 miles of pavement resurfacing, pavement repairs, guardrail upgrade and signage replacement on Hwy. 30 from just west of Hwy. PP to just west of Gravois Bluffs Boulevard and on Hwy. PP from Byrnes Mill Road to Hwy. 30.
Estimated cost: $5,405,000
Construction: 2027
■ I-55: Bridge rehabilitation at Church Road, Vogel Road, Richardson Road, Rock Creek and Imperial Main Street.
Estimated cost: $2,299,000
Construction: 2028
■ Hwy. 61-67: Pavement resurfacing and the addition of a center turn lane from Brandon Wallace Way to Sixth Street, Twin Cities.
Estimated cost: $4,816,000
Construction: July 2025
■ Hwy. 61-67/Hwy. A/Hwy. 30 (Jefferson County) and Hwy. 94/100/340: Pavement preservation treatment on parts of the highways involving 34 miles.
Estimated cost: $946,000
Construction: 2027
■ Hwy. CC: Pavement resurfacing, guardrail upgrade and signage from Hwy. 67 to Hwy. 110.
Estimated cost: $2,147,000
Construction: November 2025
■ Hwy. FF: Pavement resurfacing, guardrail upgrade, signage, signal repair from Hwy. 109 to Hwy. F and bridge rehabilitation over LaBarque Creek.
Estimated cost: $3,241,000
Construction: 2028
■ Hwy. M/Hwy. MM: Pavement resurfacing, guardrail upgrade, signage replacement and bridge deck sealing on Hwy. M from Hwy. 21 to west of Metropolitan Boulevard and on Hwy. MM from Buckeye Valley Road to Hwy. 21.
Estimated cost: $2,421,000
Construction: 2027
■ Hwy. T/Hwy. TT/Hwy. BB: Pavement preservation treatment on Hwy. T from Hwy. JJ to Hwy. TT; Hwy. TT from Hwy. 61 north junction to Hwy. 61 south junction; Hwy. BB from Hwy. 30 to Hwy. 21.
Estimated cost: $964,000
Construction: 2028