MoDOT invites drivers to learn more about U.S. 65 widening project in Ozark

OZARK, Mo. (KY3) - Crews will discuss the traffic impacts and updates on the U.S. 65 widening project in Christian County on Tuesday evening.

The project should relieve traffic congestion between Christian County Route CC/J and Christian County Route F in Ozark. It will add a lane in each direction in the median between Route CC/J and Missouri Route 14 and auxiliary lanes that connect the interchange ramps between Route 14 and Route F.

MoDOT’s Resident Engineer, Brad Gripka, said to expect Route 65 traffic shifts to accommodate crews working on the bridge at Finley Creek.

“We’re going to replace the entire bridge structure and the deck of the existing structure and then also widen toward the median as well as to the outside. It’ll be a six-lane bridge whenever we’re completed because the auxiliary lanes will be on the outside, but there’ll be some stages where we’re shifting traffic to the median while we’re replacing the old, existing structure,” Gripka said.

He said crews will always keep two lanes open in both directions to reduce some of those traffic slowdowns. Drivers should know the speed limit is reduced to 55 mph while construction is happening to keep construction crews safe.

Gripka also gave an update on where crews are at in this project.

“We’re just in the initial stages. Right now, we’ve started the bridge construction, which we started in late fall. We’re continuing to bring the substructure up, and eventually, we’ll install a new deck in the median, and then we’ll place traffic over that in late summer or late fall,” Gripka said.

Where to expect traffic impacts:

• -Nighttime lane closings on Route 65 at times
• -Backups expected on Route 65
• -Route 65 traffic shifts to accommodate bridge work at Finley Creek

Gripka said although the traffic congestion on 65 is annoying, he asks drivers to remain patient and obey the speed limit as crews continue working on this project.

The meeting will be held in a come-and-go style from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday at OTC’s Richwood Valley Campus, located at 3369 W. Jackson Street in Nixa. The estimated total project cost is $30.3 million, and the work should last through November 2025.

To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com