The Missouri Highways Transportation Commission recently approved the Missouri Department of Transportation’s (MoDOT) 2026 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), a comprehensive, policy-driven guide for the development of Missouri’s transportation system through 2050.
The plan, which was last updated in 2018, was influenced by public outreach and feedback from planning organizations. It addresses emerging trends and evolving needs across the transportation network using a five-phase approach.
“The plan dives deep into the state’s demographics and the travel trends in each region,” MoDOT Director Ed Hassinger said. “It looks at both where we are and where we’re headed in the next 25 years in terms of infrastructure needs and how emerging technologies and revenue projections stack up against those needs.”
According to the transportation plan, current resources require MoDOT to focus on preserving existing roads and bridges. “Even with nearly all funding directed to asset management, certain areas may not see improvements beyond basic upkeep. This leaves a number of critical transportation needs unfunded, including safety enhancements, mobility upgrades, economic development projects and multimodal connections,” the plan said.
Missouri DOT said its annual high-priority unfunded needs total $1.3 billion. That figure includes $400 million for reconstructing major interstates, $390 million for projects related to economic growth and improved safety, and $195 million to improve bridges, among other needs.