Missouri drivers may soon see safer, smoother highways thanks to a newly approved $13 billion transportation investment aimed at tackling road damage—including buckling pavement caused by rising temperatures.
The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission approved the massive spending plan Wednesday, greenlighting infrastructure improvements that span Interstates 70 and 44, minor road repairs, bridge upgrades, airport improvements, and rail crossing fixes. The plan is part of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and will roll out from July 2026 through summer 2030.
Roads Warping in the Heat
This summer’s extreme heat is already causing problems across the state. A recent viral video from Cape Girardeau showed a vehicle driving over a section of road as it buckled in real time—highlighting just how dangerous overheated pavement can become.
“Here and there, we’re having road buckling issues,” said Arisa Prapaisilp, a liaison with Missouri’s maintenance division.
Concrete expands in heat, and when there’s no room for it to move, roads bulge and buckle. While expansion joints can ease some of that pressure, Prapaisilp admitted, “the weather is just something we can’t control.”
More Funding, More Fixes
Experts say Missouri roads have long needed more investment. Bill Buttlar, a pavement technology professor at the University of Missouri, said this new funding could finally make room for preventative maintenance that extends road lifespans.
“You can always use more investment to bring the roads up to sort of the next level,” Buttlar noted.
Buttlar and MoDOT are also working on a crowdsourced data initiative with eight other states and automakers. The idea is to gather real-time road condition data from cars to help predict and prevent hazardous situations—like sudden pavement failures.
What the $13 Billion Covers
The STIP’s Operations and Maintenance Plan aims to:
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Reconstruct and widen major highways like I-70 and I-44
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Repair low-volume rural roads
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Upgrade aging bridges
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Modernize airport and rail infrastructure
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Incorporate tech-driven safety tools
As climate change fuels more frequent extreme weather, Missouri is betting big on long-term fixes—because buckling roads aren’t just inconvenient, they’re dangerous.
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