truckers Archives - Missourinet

MoDOT: I-44 rest areas at southwest Missouri’s Conway to re-open this weekend, following deep cleaning

July 10, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

State transportation officials say heavily-used rest areas on I-44 in southwest Missouri’s Conway are temporarily closed, after a cleaning contractor tested positive for COVID-19.

A deep cleaning is underway at both the eastbound and westbound rest areas at Conway, which is a town of about 800 residents. Conway is about 40 miles northeast of Springfield and about 15 miles southwest of Lebanon.

Thousands of truckers use those rest areas each month, while hauling freight across the country.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says an employee with the company that cleans Missouri’s welcome centers and rest areas has tested positive for the coronavirus. That employee recently cleaned the Conway rest areas.

MoDOT says the company that cleans Missouri’s rest areas and welcome centers, DBi, notified the agency about the positive test on Thursday. MoDOT immediately closed both the eastbound and westbound rest areas at Conway.

MoDOT says the westbound rest area is being cleaned and disinfected first, and is set to reopen on Saturday. Once it opens, the eastbound rest area will be cleaned and disinfected, and should reopen on Sunday. State officials say the welcome centers are being cleaned following CDC guidance, and that the deep cleaning is being performed at no cost to MoDOT.

Parking is still available at both rest areas, and DBi has also installed portable toilets at both locations.

MoDOT says Missouri maintains eight welcome centers, 14 rest areas and 23 truck-only parking sites on seven interstates across the state.

Parson visits aging southwest Missouri bridge to tout bridge bonding

September 24, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

(Reporter Ty Albright from Missourinet Joplin affiliate KZRG contributed to this story)

Missouri’s governor traveled to southwest Missouri’s Jasper County Tuesday afternoon, touring two deteriorating I-44 bridges that are being replaced with new funding.

This is the I-44 bridge over Shoal Creek near Joplin. It was built in 1956 (September 24, 2019 photo courtesy of KRZG’s Ty Albright)

Governor Mike Parson (R) is concerned about a new study, which says Missouri has the eighth-worst roads in the nation. He tells our Joplin affiliate KZRG (AM 1310) that it’s important to change that.

“After last year, the Legislature worked out the bonding issue. We’re going to be able to make lots of strides forward, in the infrastructure. We’re not going to be able to fix it all with that, but we’re going to make a step forward, and I think that’s what’s important,” Parson says.

Truckers and motorists along heavily-traveled I-44 near Joplin may have noticed the governor and television camera crews today, along with dozens of highway workers. Parson spoke to KZRG’s Ty Albright at the I-44 bridge over Shoal Creek, which was built in 1956. The governor says it was in poor condition.

“Just making sure that the public is aware of what’s going on and how we’re spending the money and why it’s so important that we keep these bridges and our infrastructure up,” says Parson.

State lawmakers approved the governor’s $350 million bridge bonding plan this year, which is aimed at repairing or replacing 250 deteriorating bridges. The two I-44 bridges are being replaced, using that funding.

Thousands of trucks cross the two bridges each year.

Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Director Patrick McKenna joined the governor in Joplin.