In this year’s legislative session, the Missouri General Assembly appropriated $50 million to the Missouri Department of Transportation and Missouri Department of Economic Development to create the Governor’s Transportation Cost-Share Program, which aims to build partnerships with local entities to deliver road and bridge projects.
The cost-share program provides financial assistance to public and private applicants for public road and bridge projects. The program matches up to 50 percent of the construction contract costs for selected projects.
Applications may be submitted through Oct. 1. Projects will be selected based on economic impact, applicants’ share of total project costs, transportation need (including impacts to the state highway system), and public benefit.
Jefferson City and Cole County public works officials have indicated they don’t anticipate getting involved in this program, but said they have benefited from similar programs in the past. The Missouri 179 interchange at Mission Drive, which opened in July 2012, was a $7.4 million project and was a joint effort among MoDOT, the city and the county.
“These projects have to be on the state’s road system,” Cole County Engineer Eric Landwehr said. “Basically the projects are improvements to existing MoDOT roads that MoDOT does not currently have programmed to complete, but they may be significant in the communities that apply for the funds.”
“City staff is looking into what might make a good application and, of course, available funding,” Jefferson City Public Works Director Matt Morasch said. “I am sure there will be much more discussion to come and of course the City Council will need to identify their highest priority for the funding”
MoDOT’s Cost-Share Committee is made up of MoDOT’s chief engineer, chief financial officer, assistant chief engineer, two director-appointed employees and DED staff. The committee will select projects with the greatest economic benefit to the state, which will then be presented to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission for approval.