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MoDOT director: rehabbing mid-Missouri bridge will cause three to eight-hour backups on I-70 (AUDIO)

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The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) director warned Thursday in Columbia about future massive traffic backups on I-70 in mid-Missouri, after the failure of a ten-cent gasoline tax increase on the November ballot.

Crews make repairs on the aging I-70 Rocheport bridge (2018 file photo courtesy of MoDOT’s Sally Oxenhandler)

MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna says the agency only has funding for a $15 million rehabilitation on the I-70 Rocheport bridge. He says that will mean lane closures for seven to nine months and three-hour backups on a “good day”, and 25-mile backups to Kingdom City on a “bad day.”

The rehabilitation is scheduled to begin in about 2020.

“The Rocheport bridge is over 3,000 feet long,” McKenna says. “This is an extraordinarily large and valuable transportation move across, it’s one of the touchpoints in the national infrastructure.”

McKenna says the bridge, which was built in 1960, should be replaced.

Missourians rejected the November ballot measure, called Proposition D, by about 173,000 votes. During the campaign, McKenna had said Proposition D was crucial for Missouri, adding that MoDOT has about $8 billion in unfunded needs.

McKenna also warned about the backups in October, during a speech in Jefferson City.

McKenna addressed several dozen business leaders and reporters Thursday at the Columbia Chamber of Commerce headquarters.

Business leaders, including Columbia Chamber of Commerce President Matt McCormick, gasped when they heard McKenna warn about the three to eight-hour backups.

McKenna says MoDOT doesn’t have the $200 million needed to replace the bridge, due to the Proposition D’s failure. He says the Rocheport bridge needs what is currently happening at the Champ Clark bridge in northeast Missouri – replacement.

“We’re about halfway through the complete reconstruction of that (Clark bridge), and what you’re seeing is what we ought to be doing with Rocheport. We ought to be building a replacement right next to it, getting the remaining service life out of the existing bridge,” says McKenna.

The Champ Clark bridge, which is in Louisiana, is 90 years old. As for the Rocheport bridge, McKenna has said it’s scheduled to receive its fourth rehabilitation in about 2020.

Transportation will likely be a key issue again during the 2019 session. Outgoing Missouri House Majority Caucus Chair Glen Kolkmeyer, R-Odessa, told Missourinet this month that talks had been happening “behind the scenes.”

Click here to listen to Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Director Patrick McKenna brief mid-Missouri reporters, including Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth, at the Columbia Chamber of Commerce on December 13, 2018:

Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet

AAA rep: Missouri gas tax proposal’s ‘bait and switch’ language might have led to its demise

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The language could have led to the failure of November’s proposed fuel tax increase, according to AAA spokesman Mike Right. He tells Missourinet affiliate KWIX in Moberly that Proposition D would have boosted the fuel tax by two and a half cents annually over four years.

Photo courtesy of MODOT

“A lot of people that I spoke with that actually voted no were concerned about the way the proposition was worded,” Right says. “Otherwise, they had no problem with the gas tax increase in terms of their additional spend or the need to have additional revenue. Their concern was a bait and switch.”

The measure asked voters if Olympic medals should be tax exempt for Missourians who win them and it would also have helped to fund State Patrol enforcement efforts.

He thinks the Legislature will make highway funding a key issue in the upcoming legislative session.

“We lost the election to increase the motor fuel tax at the November election, but that doesn’t solve the problem. We still have hundreds of millions of dollars of unmet needs in our Missouri highway system and they have to be addressed,” he says. “The Legislature can do some incremental things, but it’s not likely to have any dramatic impact on the overwhelming needs of the highway system.”

He says lawmakers could also choose to reword the ballot language and put the issue back before Missouri voters.

The session begins January 9 in Jefferson City.

Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet

Missouri Representative to bring back bill to ban texting while driving

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State Rep. Jim Hansen speaks to Missourinet in his Capitol office on January 25, 2017 (Brian Hauswirth photo)

State Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Frankford, wants to join most U.S. states by enforcing a total ban on texting while driving. Hansen tells Missourinet affiliate KWIX in Moberly hopes his proposed ban on texting while driving will get some traction in the next legislative session.

“There’s been a few bills last year along that line,” he says. “I’m going to still try to be involved in that process on my bill or somebody else’s bill to maybe elevate the texting while driving safety issue that we have.”

Hansen says he wants to put a game plan together with other legislators to push the issue forward. He mentions possible media coverage to get the word out and “put some pressure” on House and Senate leadership.

The session begins January 9 in Jefferson City.

Another round of winter weather hits Missouri

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Another round of winter weather hits Missouri

Watch out for slick roadways, bridges and overpasses today in Missouri. A mixture and snow and rain could make a challenging commute.

Some schools, especially in mid-Missouri, have also ended classes early today because of freezing rain and possibly 1 to 2 inches of snow. The St. Louis area is expected to get 1-2 inches of snow, along with a rain and snow mixture. Freezing rain and snow are also possible today across southwest Missouri. Northeast Missouri is expected to get less than one inch of snow. Western and northwest Missouri had a bout of light snow and sleet this morning that is anticipated to taper off by noon.

A winter storm watch is in effect for southern Missouri from Friday night through Saturday night. Three to six inches of snow is possible, along with a glaze of ice.

Southeast Missouri could also get accumulating snow Friday through Sunday, mainly south of Cape Girardeau.

For the latest information on weather and Missouri road conditions, click here.

Jefferson City’s mayor describes Bicentennial Bridge as a “game changer” (AUDIO)

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Jefferson City’s mayor says enough private funding has been secured to start construction of a “Bicentennial Bridge” that will link the Missouri State Capitol Complex to the riverfront at an undeveloped piece of land called Adrian’s Island.

This is an artist’s rendering of the proposed $4 million Bicentennial Bridge in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of bicentennialbridge.org)

Mayor Carrie Tergin spoke to Missourinet outside the Governor’s Mansion during Friday night’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

“Because we know that right over that overlook here (near the Mansion) as we look to the river that we will be able to access the river,” Tergin says. “So here in a couple of years, that will be an added part of our festivals.”

Bridge supporters note more than 400,000 people visit the Missouri Capitol Complex annually, and there’s no current way to access the riverfront without crossing Union Pacific’s railroad tracks. Thousands of children travel to the Capitol annually during the legislative session, as part of school groups.

Tergin says this is the most exciting news that she’s ever announced as mayor. Tergin says the 830-feet bridge will span over railroad tracks and will provide pedestrian and bicycle access to the Missouri River.

“We’re really excited that it’s going to even be built all with private funds,” says Tergin. “So it shows that we have a giving community and we have those that really want to see this happen.”

This is a December 2018 photo looking at the Missouri River and Adrian’s Island in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin)

The Jefferson City News-Tribune reports businessman B.J. DeLong, who owns a Jefferson City steel fabrication company, has donated $3.2 million to the project.

“And it (the project) will be definitely a game changer for not only our city but our state and definitely an amazing legacy gift for the Bicentennial in 2021,” Tergin says.

The project is expected to be finished before Missouri’s 200th birthday in 2021.

Project supporters say the bridge and Adrian’s Island will be “icons” for generations, celebrating Missouri and the river of Lewis and Clark.

Backers say you’ll be able to fish on Adrian’s Island, as well as walk on trails. Several railcars with interactive exhibits are also planned for the bridge.

You can see more artist renderings of the project here.

The Jefferson City News-Tribune published a Wednesday editorial about the project, noting that the project has been a dream of several past leaders/organizations in the community, including former First Lady Jean Carnahan, a Democrat, and former News-Tribune owner Betty Weldon.

Click here to listen to the conversation between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin, which was recorded outside the Governor’s Mansion on November 30, 2018:

Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet

Historic riverboat can get back to business in Missouri

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President Donald Trump has signed into law legislation that will let the 1920s-era Delta Queen steamboat carry passengers if certain safety improvements are made. The vessel has not sailed down the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers since a federal exemption lapsed in 2008.

Photo courtesy of Delta Queen Steamboat Co.

Missouri U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt sponsored the measure that is expected to create more than 170 jobs in eastern Missouri and will make the boat’s new home port in Kimmswick. According to Blunt’s office, the Delta Queen is anticipated to begin and end several cruises each year in Kimmswick and will visit up to 80 other U.S. ports.

“The return of the historic Delta Queen is great news for our state and the St. Louis region,” Blunt says. “This important part of our nation’s history will create jobs and strengthen our state’s growing tourism industry. I thank our House colleagues, local officials, and community leaders who have been great partners in our effort to bring this one-of-a-kind riverboat back to Missouri.”

McCaskill says she’s thrilled the Delta Queen can once again sail down the Mississippi.

“This historic landmark will highlight the rich history of the state I love, supporting local communities up and down the river. Working with Senator Blunt and my colleagues in the House to make this a reality has been a privilege,” she says.

The Delta Queen is a wooden American steamboat that carried dignitaries, including three U.S. Presidents, and thousands of other passengers. It also served as a naval ship during World War Two and has been designated as a national historic landmark.

Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet

Missouri’s Senator-Elect Hawley to reintroduce opponent McCaskill’s duck boat bill

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Missouri Republican Senator-elect Josh Hawley plans to reintroduce Sen. Claire McCaskill’s duck boat legislation in the new Congress.

Missouri Republican Senator-elect Josh Hawley speaks to supporters in Winchester, Missouri (file photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI)

Hawley released a statement Wednesday announcing his intention. McCaskill, a two-term Democrat who was defeated by Hawley in November’s election, filed her bill in August after 17 people died in July when a duck boat sank during a heavy storm on Table Rock Lake in southwest Missouri.

Her measure followed through on major recommendations made by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in 2002 after a similar duck boat tragedy in Arkansas killed 13 people in 1999.

In his statement, Hawley praised McCaskill’s efforts, noting the legislation is long overdue. “The NTSB’s recommendations to improve duck boat safety should have been implemented long ago,” said Hawley. “Senator McCaskill was right to introduce legislation to codify these recommendations, and I will introduce legislation in the new Congress to do the same.”

As Missouri’s attorney general, Hawley filed a lawsuit against the duck boat operators, arguing their actions violated the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act.

His suit in southwest Missouri’s Taney Count claims the companies, Branson Duck Vehicles, and Ripley Entertainment, ignored life jacket requirements and weather warnings.

Hawley said details of the bill and additional information will be provided in the new Congress.

McCaskill’s legislation calls on the Coast Guard to formulate regulations requiring that Duck Boats have adequate buoyancy to stay afloat when they become flooded.

It further imposes interim requirements, which include either the removal of canopy roofs or the installation of Coast Guard-approved canopies that don’t restrict horizontal or vertical escape by passengers if the Duck Boat sinks.  The NTSB determined existing canopies fatally entrapped passengers inside the vehicle when the boat in Arkansas went down.

The measure also requires for duck boats to have independently powered electric bilge pumps to remove water from their hulls.  No fewer than four independently powered bilge alarms that detect water would also have to be installed.

Hawley said in his Wednesday statement that federal agencies and lawmakers need to ensure that future duck boat mishaps are prevented. “The investigations into the tragedy on Table Rock Lake must continue,” Hawley said. “But as they do, Congress must act to ensure tragedies like this one do not happen again—in our state, or anywhere else.”

Not all Missouri lawmakers have supported duck boat legislation. Republican State Representative Scott Fitzpatrick of southwest Missouri’s Shell Knob owns MariCorp, a dock-building company. He was on the barge when the sunken boat in Table Rock lake was brought to the surface in late July. At the time, Fitzpatrick said not enough facts had been issued to responsibly write legislation. “I think that there’s plenty of opportunity to get it wrong,” said Fitzpatrick. “I think until we have significantly more information than we have right now, yeah I don’t think there should be any legislation passed until we know quite a bit more than what we know right now.

So far, federal prosecutors have taken action against one person in connection to the duck boat tragedy.  A grand jury indicted 51-year-old Kenneth Scott McKee, the vessel’s captain, on counts of misconduct, negligence, or inattention to duty by a ship’s officer, resulting in the death of another.

Missouri state troopers worked almost 600 crashes during Thanksgiving weekend

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Missouri state troopers say nine people were killed in traffic crashes during the five-day 2018 Thanksgiving holiday weekend counting period.

The Missouri Highway Patrol Honor Guard presents the flags at the start of the joint session on June 11, 2018 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Troopers say another 108 people suffered injuries. The Highway Patrol worked 587 traffic crashes during the holiday counting period, and made 86 arrests for driving while intoxicated.

They also made 67 drug arrests.

Troopers participated in Operation C.A.R.E. throughout the holiday weekend. That stands for crash awareness and reduction effort.

Missouri state troopers are also asking for your assistance in finding a driver who fled the scene on Saturday, after striking and killing a Richmond teen who was on a moped.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says 18-year-old Tahkota Christiansen of Richmond died when an unknown vehicle struck the rear of the moped he was operating on Highway 10 in western Missouri’s Ray County. Troopers say Christiansen’s moped traveled off the road and that he was ejected.

The Patrol’s Troop A in Lee’s Summit tweeted Monday that they are looking for a red Pontiac Grand Am that would have damage to the front passenger side.

Troopers encourage anyone with information on the deadly incident to call Troop A at (816) 622-0800.

Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet

Blizzard conditions cripple travel in northern Missouri

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Up to nine inches of snow fell in northern Missouri Sunday from a storm that brought blizzard conditions through the area.  Road closures included I-29 from the Iowa border to Mound City in the northwest portion of the state. An overnight accident in Davies County blocked traffic on I-35 north of Cameron.

Runway at Kansas City International Airport Sunday during snow storm (Image courtesy of KCI)

Roadways across northern Missouri, generally north of I-70 remained covered in snow. Several roads in the northwest corridor of the state remained closed into Monday morning, including a portion of U.S. 59 in Holt County and Missouri Route 46 in Nodaway County.  Travel on I-70 west of Columbia was discouraged by MoDOT (Missouri Department of Transportation) from Sunday evening into Monday morning.

Across the Midwest from Kansas through northern Missouri into Illinois, 14 million people were under a blizzard warning Sunday.  Thousands of flights were canceled or delayed, with the biggest impact being felt at Kansas City International Airport (KCI), which was closed due to low visibility Sunday afternoon.  Fourteen fights, all prior to 6:30 a.m. Monday were canceled at KCI.

The heaviest accumulation of snow in Missouri occurred in St. Joseph in the northwest part of the state, which saw nine inches.  Four to eight inches fell across the Kansas City area.

Meteorologist Spencer Mell with the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill said hazardous road conditions were largely the result of wet conditions prior to the snowfall.  “The rain that preceded the snow froze on contact on those roads and created those very icy conditions, and made it unable for MoDOT to treat those roads beforehand,” said Spencer.  “They’re playing a little bit of catchup to try and get those roads clear.”

Mell said the heavy accumulation extended eastward in Missouri.  “We did see those higher snowfall totals ranging anywhere from four-to-eight inches across the northern and northeastern part of the state,” Spencer said.

The National Weather Service in Chicago said the worst of the weather in its region would occur late Sunday night. Nearly 20 million were under a high-wind advisory in an area extending from Kansas into Missouri, Nebraska, and Iowa.

Whiteout conditions in northern Missouri Sunday and Sunday night hampered travel for many residents returning home at the end of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.  The Sunday after the holiday is typically the busiest travel day of the year in the United States.

Mell said morning drive in the Kansas City area would be treacherous due to lingering ice.  “With the rain starting the system and then changing over to snow, a lot of that rain and the initial snow was liquid on the roadways and then froze, so we are still seeing some very icy conditions across much of the Kansas City area,” said Mell.  High temperatures in Kansas City will remain below freezing until Wednesday.

Five-point-three inches of snow fell Sunday at KCI, the second heaviest snowfall on record in November, behind 7.5 inches on February 2, 2014. The record is 9.1 inches of snow which was set on Nov. 29. 1923.  Most schools in the Kansas City area are closed Monday as well as numerous schools in and near mid-Missouri’s Columbia.

The National Weather Service in Kansas City offered a tweet summing up the Sunday storm and the season so far for snow in the region.

The northeastern Missouri cities of Bowling Green and Quincy received an additional one-to-two inches of snow overnight Monday morning as the last of the storm traveled through the state.

MoDOT closes I-29 near Mound City; officials urge you to avoid traveling in northern Missouri

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Whiteout conditions in far northwest Missouri have forced the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to close I-29 in Atchison and Holt counties.

A Missouri Department of Transportation snow plow (2018 file photo courtesy of MoDOT)

MoDOT says I-29 is currently closed from the Iowa border down to mile marker 84 in Mound City. The agency is urging you to avoid traveling in northern Missouri today.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill says strong wind gusts up to 50 and possibly 60 miles per hour are impacting motorists, as well as the snow. The NWS tweeted a warning for truckers to keep the wind gusts and slick roads in mind.

I-29 begins in Kansas City and runs through northwest Missouri, as well as Iowa and North and South Dakota. Many truckers use that route to haul goods, including agricultural items.

The NWS says most areas north of I-70 in northern Missouri are now snow-covered, and they’re urging people to stay inside today.

The National Weather Service also urges those who must travel to have a full tank of gasoline, warm clothing, water and snacks on hand, in case they become stranded on the highway.

Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet