After US 63 crosses I-70 in Missouri, the contours of the countryside change significantly. Northern Missouri has hills, but in southern Missouri, well, the shortest distance between two points is secondary to the HILLS.
On Aug. 21, the Missouri DOT (MoDOT) had a public meeting/open house on a project proposed so long ago that a new Environmental Impact Statement had to be created. The original EIS from 2009 was reaffirmed this year.
MoDOT wants to extend the four-lane alignment of US 63 south of US 50 and around the town of Westphalia. This would be a complete relocation with one exit, and it’s not at MO 133. MoDOT’s FAQ says “Building an interchange at Route 133 would involve changing the alignment of Route 133, building excessively long ramps, and disrupting more right of way than the current proposal.”
The estimated cost, at least right now, is $83.7 million. It won’t be completed until the end of 2029 at the earliest.