Copyright ABC17News.com
COLUMBIA Mo. (KMIZ) A section of Business Loop 70 between Hathman Place and Eastland Circle will be closed from Nov. 12-26 as construction on a new roundabout begins. The roundabout is part of the larger Improve I-70 project, with the addition connecting eastbound I-70 traffic to the Business Loop. "We're going to really attack this aggressively with a lot of crews and get in here and do the work as quickly as possible, so you'll see concrete being poured as early as next Monday," Eric Kopinski, the Central Office Improve I-70 Program Director, said. Drivers in the area should expect to see detour signs, with the main route taking drivers through Trimble Road and East Broadway. Kopinski said the Missouri Department of Transportation proposed longer closures over the summer, ultimately settling on the fall plans. "'Do we close this for having just one lane going through for three or four months, or do we just close it for a 14-day period?'" Kopinski said. "We determined it was safer, and we could build it to a higher quality to get in here and do it really in a 14 day period." Kopinski adds that all businesses on the construction zone will remain accessible. ABC 17 News spoke with Close to Home Adult Day Center, Tyree Parts & Hardware and Big O Tires who all plan to remain open during the construction. On Plumb Supply Company's website, they ask customers to use the building's east entrance. Charlie Alexander, Big O Tires' Vice President of Operations, voiced concern about the closure, with the fall being a busy season for the company as drivers prepare their cars for the winter. However, he understands MoDOT's construction process. "We're leveraged a little bit there, we have to do what we have to do to be there for our customers, but again, we're excited to see the project move forward," Alexander said. "It's just timing-wise of the closure, it is what it is." Alexander adds that customers should continue contacting staff and making appointments. Construction on the roundabout is expected to be complete on Nov. 26. The roundabout will not be connected to I-70 until late 2027.
