LINN — Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Project Manager Mia Peters and Area Engineer Preston Kramer conducted an informational open house at the Osage County Community Center on Thursday, June 15. They displayed several maps of planned improvements to the intersections of Hwy. 50 at Rt. CC and Technology Drive. They also sought comments from those who attended the event.

Should plans remain largely unchanged, work should begin during the summer of 2024 and be completed before the end of that year. MoDOT expects to build the project while never closing more than one lane at a time. They also expect to meet a budget of $2,100,000.

More than 8,000 vehicles navigate that stretch of highway every day.

MoDOT hopes to create less congestion with the project.

Design features include additional lanes throughout the zone. Signal lights will be placed at Rt. CC and Technology Drive. Acceleration and deceleration lanes will ease entering and exiting for big trucks, many of which serve Lakeside Book Company and State Tech.

“I don’t think they go far enough on those lanes,” said Osage County Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin, a retired truck driver.

Local residents near Rt. CC south of U.S. 50, though, were enthused about the possibilities. Several thought it would help with their current difficulties.

Sheriff Mike Bonham wonders if signal lights will hurt more than they help. “When we stand out there and direct traffic, it backs up to the (Osage County) Courthouse,” he said.

Griffin was unable to disagree with Bonham, but he remained philosophical. “We’ll just have to wait and see,” he said.

Griffin also worried about the amount of real estate that appears to be taken from Lakeside. Their campus is rather landlocked, so the company won’t be able to easily relocate parking and truck staging areas which seem to be sacrificed to the project. Eastern District Commissioner John Trenshaw agreed.

Illustrations, maps, and other project details may be viewed at https://www.modot.org/us-route-50-and-route-cc-intersection-improvements-osage-county. Comments may be submitted to MoDOT until June 30. There’s an online comment submission form on that website. Comments can also be mailed to Osage County U.S. Route 50/Route CC Intersection Project, 1511 Missouri Boulevard, Jefferson City, MO 65102.