JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Department of Transportation has received Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) from teams interested in competing for the contract to design and construct the second project of MoDOT’s statewide Improve I-70 Program. Improve I-70: Warrenton to Wentzville will improve Interstate 70 from Warrenton to I-64 and on I-64 from I-70 to Route K, including improvements to the I-64/I-70 interchange at Wentzville. This project is one of several projects which will widen I-70 across the state.

Missouri’s FY2024 budget from the General Assembly signed into law by Gov. Mike Parson provides $2.8 billion in General Revenue for the costs to build a third lane of Interstate 70 across the state. The program will plan, design, construct, reconstruct, rehabilitate, and add three lanes in each direction on approximately 200 miles of I-70, from Blue Springs to Wentzville.

The pre-qualified teams are as follows:

• Ames Millstone Weber Joint Venture
  • Ames Construction, Millstone Weber, Parsons Transportation Group
• Improve I-70 Alliance Joint Venture
  • Emery Sapp & Sons, Clarkson Construction, HNTB, Bartlett & West
• The Walsh Team
  • Walsh Construction, American Structurepoint, RS&H, Olsson

MoDOT will issue the Request for Proposal in July 2024 to these teams. The department will work through the procurement process with these teams, who will submit their proposal for the potential selection of the winning contract in Fall 2024. Construction could start as early as spring 2025. There are still opportunities for additional consultants and subcontracting firms to be added to each team.

Design-Build is a project delivery method that combines both the design and construction phases into one contract. The selected contract team completes the design and construction in parallel instead of in succession, which saves time and resources. 

This project is scheduled to include the following improvements:

• Add a third lane of travel to eastbound and westbound I-70 between Warrenton and Wentzville.
• Interchange improvements in Wright City.
• Realignment at the railroad bridge on I-70 between Wentzville Parkway and Route Z.
• Interchange improvements at I-70 and I-64/Route 61 
• Add a third lane of travel to eastbound and westbound I-64 between I-70 and Route K.

The third lane of I-70 from Warrenton to Wentzville and interchange improvements in Wright City are being funded through General Revenue funds. The realignment at the railroad bridge between Wentzville Parkway and Route Z, improvements at the I-70/I-64 interchange and adding the third lane on I-64 from I-70 to Route K are being funded through previously programmed MoDOT STIP projects. 

MoDOT has established the following design-build goals for the Warrenton to Wentzville project:

• Deliver the project within the program budget. 
• Provide an additional lane of travel in each direction on I-70 from Warrenton to I-64 and on I-64 from I-70 to Route K. 
• Improve the I-70/I-64/US 61 interchange to provide for better traffic flow and safety. 
• Modernize I-70 while improving the existing pavement, bridges, and interchanges to enhance mobility, including freight.  
• Minimize construction impacts with a focus on work zone safety, communication and construction staging while maintaining mobility. 
• Complete project by Dec. 1, 2028, utilizing a diverse workforce.