Reconstruction of the I-44/U.S. 65 interchange in Springfield, begun in July 2006, will improve traffic flow and increase safety at one of the busiest crossroads in southwest Missouri.

The project will modify the 1960s-era cloverleaf design by building a new directional "flyover" ramp for northbound U.S. 65 traffic heading westbound on I-44. It will eliminate the cloverleaf on the northeast corner of the interchange, enabling westbound I-44-to-southbound U.S. 65 traffic to exit without having to watch for westbound vehicles entering at the same spot.

Overall, the rebuilt interchange will better handle the daily traffic of 90,000 cars and trucks, an amount that has become too great for the cloverleaf configuration.

The project involves:

• Building a directional "flyover" ramp for northbound U.S. 65-to-westbound I-44 traffic.
• Modifying two other ramps – southbound U.S. 65-to-westbound I-44 and northbound U.S. 65-to-eastbound I-44.
• Building a new northbound U.S. 65 bridge over I-44.

Traffic Impacts:

Periodic daytime or nighttime lane closings; lane shifts; two-way traffic on southbound U.S. 65 while northbound bridge is built; southbound U.S. 65-to-eastbound I-44 ramp closed for up to 12 months; eastbound I-44-to-northbound U.S. 65 closed during entire project; southbound U.S. 65-to-eastbound I-44 ramp closed until spring 2008; one eastbound lane of I-44 closed.

Project Timeline:

• 1963 – I-44/U.S. 65 interchange construction begins

• 1978 – Final phase of cloverleaf interchange construction completed as new U.S. 65 is built north of I-44

• December 2001 – MoDOT meets with property owners and others to unveil plans for interchange improvements

• July 2002 – MODOT meets with property owners to get comments on design plans for reconstruction

• Fall 2002 – Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission approves design plans for project

• Spring 2005 – Following voter approval of Amendment 3 in November 2004, project accelerated by two years to begin in 2006

• July 2006 – Work begins on $25 million reconstruction project

• May 2008 – Reconstruction project scheduled for completion

For more information, contact our Springfield District Office at 417-895-7600 or 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636).

Last updated: September 2007.