U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Capitol Hill. He represents 39 counties across northern Missouri, representing Audrain and Randolph counties in the 939 the Eagle listening area. One of the biggest issues he’s also been involved in is trying to obtain federal funding to help replace Jefferson City’s aging tri-level. The tri-level bridges were built in 1964. The state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says rebuilding the tri-level will cost about $40-million, adding that the nearby Rex Whitton Expressway would also have to be rebuilt for an additional $53-million. While Congressman Graves has been hopeful of finding some intrastate highway dollars for the project, he tells listeners that he’s not as optimistic as he was. However, Chairman Graves tells listeners that it’s still in the works and that he’s still working on the process. Congressman Graves, a Mizzou graduate, also predicts Mizzou will beat Tennessee in Saturday afternoon’s top 20 showdown in Columbia:
(LISTEN): Efforts underway to try to obtain federal funding for Jefferson City tri-level project
A powerful northern Missouri congressman who chairs the U.S. House Transportation Committee on Capitol Hill is trying to obtain federal funding to help replace Jefferson City’s aging tri-level.
U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) tells 939 the Eagle that he’s had conversations with Governor Mike Parson’s office about the project.
“Maybe some intrastate highway dollars that are out there. And that’s dollars specific to goods and services that pass from one state to the next on our federal highway system,” Congressman Graves says.
The state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says rebuilding the tri-level will cost about $40-million, adding that the nearby Rex Whitton Expressway would also have to be rebuilt. That’s an additional $53-million. MoDOT central district engineer Michelle Watkins told “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” last week that MoDOT currently doesn’t have the funding for the two projects.
“It’s possible we might be able to make that work there too. But anyway we’re talking to the governor’s office about what the potential opportunities are,” Graves says, referring to intrastate highway dollars.
MoDOT says 86,000 vehicles a day come through the tri-level area, with three major highways converging in the same area. MoDOT says the tri-level bridges were built in 1964 and that the “flyover” bridges were built in 1991.