The project was part of the conversion of 71 Highway to Interstate 49 to run from Kansas City to Shreveport, Louisiana. Here are answers to some common questions regarding the project as answered by the Missouri Department of Transportation:
Why is I-49 being used as the designation instead of I-29 or I-35?
Congress designated the I-49 corridor from Kansas City to Shreveport, La., in federal transportation legislation, and the corridor will connect to existing I-49 between Shreveport and Lafayette in Louisiana.
Plus, I-49 fits within the Interstate naming conventions of north/south interstates utilizing odd numbers, with the assigned numbers growing higher as they move from west to east.
In Missouri, I-49 falls between existing I-35 in Kansas and Oklahoma and I-55 in eastern Missouri and Illinois.
What needs to be done to upgrade US 71 to I-49 between KC and Joplin?
Remove all remaining at-grade intersections by constructing interchanges, overpasses and outer roads as necessary.
The anticipated improvements (overall: seven interchanges, four overpasses, one set of outer roads):
Cass County -- Two overpasses and one interchange
Bates County -- One interchange and one set of outer roads
Vernon County -- Five interchanges and one overpass
Barton County -- One overpass
Why is the I-49 designation important?
We believe the interstate designation enhances economic opportunities for the state. A major factor in the decision-making process for locating businesses is access to quality transportation, particularly interstate highways.
The I-49 designation will ensure this factor is not an obstacle for the communities along the US 71 corridor between Kansas City and Joplin. Plus, the I-49 designation benefits Kansas City’s development as an “inland port” for the flow of freight throughout the country, and it serves the traditional
trucking hub in Joplin.
Traffic on the US 71 corridor between KC and Joplin already consists of 30 percent trucks.
More information about the I-49 project can be found on the MoDOT web site here.
