The Warren County Commissioners will be featured in MoDOT’s “Beyond the Barrels” video series on the Improve I-70 project. 

The commissioners were interviewed by Lairyn McGregor on July 14 to appear in the series, highlighting the people and institutions behind the scenes that contributed to making the largest project in MoDOT’s history a reality. 

The Improve I-70 project will expand the interstate to three lanes in each direction throughout the state and is currently underway in Warren County. The Warrenton to Wentzville section of the project will also include significant improvements to overpasses in Warrenton, Wright City and Foristell. 

McGregor asked the commissioners why the project was important to the area and what the improvements will mean for the county once completed. 

Presiding Commissioner Joe Gildehaus said with the continued population growth in Warren County the improvements to the interstate will help to alleviate worsening traffic in the area. 

“I think with the six lanes and the new overpasses and the outer roads and some of the ramps, I think the traffic flow should be better for all of Warren County,” said Gildehaus. 

Southern District Commissioner Dave Mikus echoed those sentiments and said once completed, the project will be a significant improvement for the area. 

“I think it’s going to do great things for your community,” said Mikus. “It’s going to let businesses flourish. It’s going to just make our community thrive in ways that we haven’t seen in a long time.”

That work can be seen on I-70 in Warren County where contractor Clarkson Construction started paving widened sections of the interstate just east of Warrenton on July 11. 

Jeff Niemeyer, the northeast district engineer with MoDOT, was on hand at the July 15 Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce meeting to provide an update on construction. 

He said Clarkson was making progress on the eastbound lanes of I-70 between Warrenton and Wright City. Currently they are working on paving widened sections on the south side of the interstate and have confined traffic to 11-foot lanes with barrier walls. 

Niemeyer said once paving is complete, they plan to shift traffic onto the newly paved lanes in mid-August to begin work on the existing eastbound lanes. 

He also said work is scheduled to begin on the new overpasses and intersection in Foristell this month. 

According to Niemeyer, the new intersection should significantly improve traffic flow at the embattled interchange with roundabouts and two one-way bridges to help separate traffic. 

MoDOT is also working with contractor Emery Sapp & Sons to replace the overpass at Routes A and B west of Warrenton.

That project is being funded through MoDOT’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Program and Niemeyer said it should be completed this fall, at which point contractors will move on to the overpass in Jonesburg. 

Robert Fry, vice president with Clarkson Construction, was also on hand at the meeting and said they are currently focusing on the two straightest sections of the interstate in Warren County. Right now their work is limited to the interstate between Warrenton and Stracks Church Road. 

Their next area of focus will be between Wright City and Foristell. 

Niemeyer said the I-70 project between Warrenton and Wentzville is expected to be completed by the end of 2028.