Member News is a monthly blog post dedicated to sharing Chamber members’ upcoming events or major news. If you have something to share, email the Chamber’s Director of Communications and Marketing, Samantha Chandler, at Samantha@ComoChamber.com.
Mid-MO Regional Planning Commission will share public questionnaire responses with the selected jurisdiction. As discussed, jurisdictions can also post the questionnaire on their existing public input platforms such as BeHeardCoMo, and would be responsible for collecting those responses. If you would like to discuss scheduling a separate meeting for community stakeholders or other outreach opportunities with support from Mid-MO RPC, please let me know.
Our next meeting will be on January 8, 2025, from 9:00-11:00 AM. We will be discussing natural hazards and updating mitigation actions. Attendees may include Elected Officials, County/City Clerks​​, Public Works Directors​, Floodplain Managers​, Stormwater Managers​, Community Development​ Directors, School Facilities Directors, School Principals, Police Chiefs, Fire Chiefs, agencies involved in disaster response or serving vulnerable populations, and any other interested parties or community members.
MoDOT selects Improve 70 Alliance for
I-70 Program Warrenton to Wentzville project
(Columbia, Mo.) Nov. 8, 2024 — The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has awarded the Improve 70 Alliance Joint Venture a contract for the Improve I-70 Program Warrenton to Wentzville, St. Charles & Warren Counties Design-Build Project. The Improve 70 Alliance was awarded the $600 million fixed-cost contract, the largest project in MoDOT history.
In July 2024, MoDOT issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to three qualified teams. These teams included Ames Millstone Weber Joint Venture, Improve 70 Alliance Joint Venture and The Walsh Design-Build Team.
The project winner, Improve 70 Alliance, is a Joint Venture between Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS) and Clarkson Construction Company (Clarkson), in association with HNTB Corporation (HNTB) and Bartlett & West, Inc. (B&W). The Joint Venture partners, ESS and Clarkson, were founded in Missouri, and have deep local roots and significant regional experience working on Missouri’s interstate system and the design-build project delivery process.
“Improve I-70 Alliance is honored to be awarded the largest project in the State’s history. This is a significant milestone for the State of Missouri as well as our companies,” said Robert Gillis, ESS co-chief executive officer. “We’re excited to have the opportunity to bring our deep local roots, significant regional experience and diverse workforce to deliver exceptional results for the taxpayers of Missouri.”
The team’s combined experience was important to the winner selection. Over the past five years, ESS has constructed 117 Department of Transportation (DOT) projects worth more than $700 million. Clarkson has constructed 16 DOT projects worth more than $350M. Lead designer, HNTB, has been actively involved in alternative delivery for more than 20 years, delivering design-build solutions. B&W is a regional leader in transportation design, has previously completed design work to add lanes on I-70 at Mineola Hill, and is currently the lead designer on the Interstate 55 Corridor Upgrades design-build.
This project is one of several that will widen I-70 across the state. This portion of the I-70 program includes the following improvements:
- Constructing a third lane in each direction on I-70 from Warrenton to I-64 in Wentzville, including replacing the existing I-70 lanes and shoulders with new full-depth concrete pavementÂ
- Interchange improvements at I-70 and I-64/Route 61
- Interchange and outer road improvements in Foristell, Wright City, Warrenton and Route Z
- Realignment at the railroad bridge on I-70 between Wentzville Parkway and Route ZÂ
- Addition of a third lane of travel to eastbound and westbound I-64 between I-70 and Route K
The project team has committed to keeping two lanes of travel open on I-70 in both directions during peak travel times.
This I-70 improvement will benefit Missourians and the traveling public for generations to come. Providing a third east and westbound lane, as well as improving the I-70/I-64/61 interchange will improve mobility and provide economic development opportunities, including a safety improvement.
Construction is expected to begin as early as Spring 2025. For more information on the I-70 Program, visit https://www.modot.org/
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ABOUT EMERY SAPP & SONS
Founded in 1972, Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS) is a 100% employee-owned heavy civil construction company with 19 offices, plants and quarry locations and more than 1,600 employee-owners serving the Midwest and beyond. Specializing in excavation, grading, underground utilities, bridge construction, asphalt and concrete paving, and pavement preservation, the company works with more than 270 clients annually spanning both private and public sectors, including departments of transportation, developers, general contractors, the federal government, municipalities and railways. Learn more at emerysapp.com.
