Portions of Interstate 70 in Cooper County will experience lane closures beginning Wednesday, Dec. 10 as part of the Missouri Department of Transportation’s plans to add another lane along the interstate across the state.

Work is planned Wednesday and Thursday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. between mile markers 101 in Boonville and 113, just west of the bridge over the Missouri River, to allow crews to drill for core samples. While lane closures will not stretch the entire 12 miles, motorists should anticipate delays, as lane closures will be intermittent and in both directions.

Core drilling will allow engineers to examine the layers of roadway and soil that support the driving surface. The samples will help engineers develop their plans to add a third lane in each direction of Interstate 70 as part of the Improve I-70 project. This section of interstate is scheduled for construction next year, with an anticipated completion state of late 2027.

All work is weather permitting and schedules subject to change. Updates on the Improve I-70 project are available on MoDOT’s website.