Модернизация старейшей в США межштатной автомагистрали I-70 завершится к 2030 году

From America’s first interstate to today’s construction: The story of I-70 ST. CHARLES, Mo. (First Alert 4) - If you’re driving Interstate 70 through St. Charles County, you’re traveling on one of the oldest stretches of interstate highway in the country. While drivers today may be focused on construction delays and traffic slowdowns, the highway beneath them is part of transportation history. Missouri is considered the birthplace of the nation’s interstate highway system. The first segment of Interstate 70 was built in August of 1956 in St. Charles County near Fifth Street, launching what would become a nationwide network connecting all 50 states under President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s vision for modern transportation. Retired civil engineer Ronald Zimmer said few could have predicted the interstate system’s lasting impact. “Eisenhower did think of it as a major step forward in transportation. How much of a step that was he probably had no idea, neither did anybody else involved in it,” Zimmer said. Nearly 70 years later, much of that original interstate footprint still lies beneath today’s roadway. The Missouri Department of Transportation is now working to modernize Interstate 70 through its Improve I-70 program. Program Director Eric Kopinski said much of the pavement and infrastructure was originally designed to last about 50 years and has now exceeded its expected lifespan. The statewide effort will modernize more than 200 miles of Interstate 70, upgrading the same highway that first put Missouri at the center of the nation’s interstate system. “I-70 is certainly one of the backbones that allows us to move goods, services, people around the state,” Kopinski said. “It is our lifeline.” Kopinski said the interstate remains critical to Missouri’s economy and transportation network. “It’s paramount,” he said. “In Missouri we’re blessed with a lot of great assets from our ports to our airports, but the roadway system is really critical. We like to drive in Missouri.” Today, roughly 80,000 vehicles travel on Interstate 70 through St. Charles and Warren counties. For drivers, Interstate 70 is more than a piece of history. It’s a vital corridor for commuting, shipping goods and connecting communities across Missouri. MoDOT expects construction on the Improve I-70 program to be completed by 2030, helping prepare one of America’s oldest interstate highways for decades of future travel. Copyright 2026 KMOV. All rights reserved.