OPEN HOUSE TURNOUT ‘LARGER THAN EXPECTED’
A better than expected turnout.
That’s what Platte City officials say about the MoDOT open house-style meeting at City Hall last Thursday night regarding the safety improvement projects planned for the I-29 and HH interchange in Platte City.
“I didn’t hear too many negatives. The projects are intended to make HH and the ramps safer and more efficient, and the proposed design seems to accomplish that,” Mayor Steve Hoeger told The Landmark this week.
The meeting was an open house with no formal presentation. Project displays and exhibits were available for public viewing.
The public can visit the project webpage for more information to view project displays and exhibits or to leave a comment. The webpage is at www.modot.org/projects/route-hh-interchange-improvements-along-route-hh-platte-county
The proposed safety improvements will include a roundabout being added on the southbound I-29 exit ramp. The roundabout will be constructed where the southbound exit ramp intersects with Vine Street.
“I was in and out of the room that night, so there may have been things I missed. The turnout was larger than I expected. I did not hear any objections, mostly just questions about construction timing, lane closures, that sort of thing,” said Bryan Richison, city administrator for Platte City.
“I did hear a question about eminent domain and I think the answer was MoDOT has enough right of way and would only need some temporary construction easements. There was also a question about the awkward intersection of Main, Prairie View and HH and another question about the old welcome sign on the hillside at the intersection, which are both outside the scope of the project. The people I heard while I was in the room seemed more curious than anything,” Richison added.
At deadline, a MoDOT had not responded to a request for comment about the open house or the next step in the plan.
In addition to the roundabout, there are multiple other improvements planned at I-29 and Hwy. HH, an interchange that has had residents and business leaders asking for attention in recent years.
According to MoDOT, in addition to the roundabout on the I-29 southbound exit ramp, some other notable changes planned include:
•A deceleration lane will be added to both the I-29 southbound and I-29 northbound exit ramps.
•Widening of the I-29 northbound exit ramp for a right turn lane onto Hwy. HH at the end of the ramp .
•Turning radius improvements at westbound Hwy. HH to the northbound I-29 entrance ramp.
•Full depth shoulder replacement on the northbound I-29 entrance ramp.
•Slide repair on the south side of Hwy. HH, just east of the northbound ramps.
•Guardrail replacement on the southbound/northbound I-29 exit ramps.
•Drainage improvements include replacement of a pipe between Old US-71 the I-29 southbound lanes.
•Repair to a sinkhole in the I-29 median.
According to information distributed by MoDOT, the bidding process for the I-29/Hwy. HH improvements will begin in January of 2027. Construction is expected to begin in late spring/early summer of 2027.
During construction of the roundabout, the I-29 southbound exit ramp and Vine Street intersection will be closed.
At that time, traffic will need to use the two other interchanges nearby as a detour, including I-29 and Hwy. 273 at Tracy and I-29 and Hwy. 92 at Platte City.
Meanwhile, the I-29 northbound exit ramp will close for construction of the new deceleration lane.
“This will be completed in a different phase of the roundabout construction due to the need for using the northbound ramps during the detour,” MoDOT says.
Other work will require the need for lane/shoulder closures with temporary periodic closures using a detour similar to the one for the roundabout construction.
MoDOT says the slide repair work may require narrowing of Hwy. HH with some lane closures of westbound Hwy. HH using a flagger setup.
