By MATT PIKE
During a meeting earlier this month, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission approved the fiscal year 2027-2031 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.
The STIP, prepared annually, lists the specific construction projects MoDOT will undertake with state and regional planning agencies in the next five years. It covers $13 billion of federal and state revenues for all modes of transportation, including highways and bridges, transit, aviation, rail, waterways, bicycle and pedestrian, as well as outlining operations and maintenance projects.
This year's program is one of the largest to date and includes additional funding from General Revenue, passed by the Missouri General Assembly and signed by Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe. The funding is allocated for improvements to interstates 70 and 44 as well as improvements to airports and roadways. Of the $13 billion, the STIP details $9.3 billion in contractor awards for road and bridge construction, averaging approximately $1.8 billion per year.
MoDOT maintains 33,814 miles of highway and 10,427 bridges and culverts, which makes the comprehensive STIP approval process an important part of its mission to deliver the program and serve the traveling public. Since transportation needs outweigh funding availability, the goal with each new STIP is to work with the public to determine which projects provide the greatest return on investment to taxpayers.
The approved 2027-2031 STIP is now available to view on MoDOT's website.
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