Groundbreaking Ceremony next week to Kick-off I-44 Improvements in Springfield
GREENE COUNTY – The Missouri Department of Transportation will be hosting a groundbreaking ceremony celebrating the start of construction for the Interstate 44 corridor upgrades in Springfield, part of the multi-phase Forward 44 Program along the corridor.
The event will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, April 4, alongside Interstate 44 on the grounds of the Crossway Baptist Church, 2900 North Barnes Avenue in Springfield. This is the first construction project making improvements to I-44 with General Revenue funds passed by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor.
The project will add a third lane of travel in each direction between Missouri Route 13 and U.S. Route 65, replace three bridges over Interstate 44 at Broadway Avenue, Grant Avenue and National Avenue, build a pedestrian underpass and trail improvements at Grant Avenue, as well as additional improvements between Missouri Route 266 and U.S. Route 160.
This $70.7 million project includes $13.4 million in General Revenue funding provided by the General Assembly and the Governor’s Office. MoDOT is currently completing an overall Forward 44 study, reviewing what future improvements are needed from the Oklahoma State line to the Franklin County/St. Louis County line.
WHAT
Groundbreaking ceremony celebrating the beginning of construction of the Interstate 44 corridor improvements through Springfield as part of the Forward 44 program.
WHEN AND WHERE
10:30 a.m. on Friday, April 4, 2025
Grounds of Crossway Baptist Church
2900 North Barnes Avenue, Springfield, MO 65803
Attendees can access the event via North Barnes Avenue. A MoDOT vehicle with flashing lights will be staged at the entrance, and MoDOT staff will be on-site to direct attendees.
SCHEDULED SPEAKERS
Governor Mike Kehoe, Governor of the State of Missouri
Warren K. Erdman, Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission Chair
Congressman Eric Burlison, Missouri Congressional District 7
Senator Lincoln Hough, Missouri Senate District 30
Representative Bill Owen, Missouri House of Representatives District 131
Sara Fields, Ozarks Transportation Organization Executive Director
For more information on Forward 44 – Interstate 44 Corridor Upgrades in Greene County, visit its webpage.