By Jack Underwood, Editor
Thanks to the efforts of officials and a generous landowner, already accelerated repair work following a landslide on Highway U in southern Warren County is now expected to be completed in November of this year.
According to MoDOT area engineer Jeff Niemeyer, the project was originally designated as urgent when it was released under the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program early last month. At the time, the only obstacles holding up the project were environmental permits and the right-of-way needed to repair the road.
Since last week these are no longer a problem.
MoDOT released the bid specifications for the repair project on August 5 and will award the contract on August 13. The completion date is November 6, so that’s a long way from the previous completion date of spring 2025.
“Fortunately, we received the environmental permit and right of way last week on the 30th, so the director of MoDOT declared a state of emergency at that time,” Niemeyer said. “So we can now work with a faster procurement schedule.”
The process by which the state arrived at the emergency declaration included input from local elected officials and business leaders who reached out to MoDOT.
“This was necessary and we are all happy that it will be done by November 6. This was not the achievement of one person, but of a whole group,” said Chairman Commissioner Joe Gildehaus.
Gildehaus also praised House Representative Jeff Myers, who he said took the lead in efforts to move the project forward.
“It’s an example of what can be accomplished when local and state resources come together,” Myers said.
Commissioner Matt Flake agreed with this opinion.
“I want to thank the engineers, there were business people … And I want to thank some of the property owners in the area for working together and getting us the easements we needed,” Flake said.
Myers also thanked everyone else involved, including Paula Gough, MoDOT’s Northeast District Engineer, and especially Steve Kreps, the Highway U landowner who decided to donate the land needed for the MoDOT right-of-way.
As soon as the order is placed, the contractor will start work immediately, Niemeyer said. Construction is scheduled to begin on August 26.
Contractors will work to repair a large landslide on the road about 10 miles south of Warrenton, as well as two smaller landslides about a quarter mile south within the closure.
In addition, there are both strong incentives and disincentives to ensure that the project is completed on time or even ahead of schedule.
