MoDOT approves new Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. What did MRT have to say?

Overview

• The Missouri Department of Transportation recently updated its Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
• The STIP is a document that identifies which projects MoDOT will undertake over the next five years.
• MRT remains concerned about the broader issues related to vulnerable road users and funding.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) relies on a system of policies, plans, and programming to guide how it expands and maintains the transportation system of the Show-Me State. A critical piece of that approach is a document known as the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).

You can learn more about the STIP by clicking here.

In short, the STIP is an annually updated document that outlines the specific construction projects MoDOT will undertake over the next five years. Think of it like MoDOT’s to-do list of key projects they will work on. It covers every portion of the state and requires coordination between the seven district offices as well as the numerous metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and regional planning commissions (RPCs). The updated STIP for 2027 will include $13 billion allocated to approximately 1,279 projects across the state.

The STIP is a good way to understand what MoDOT is going to build and how they plan to pay for those efforts in the years ahead. Missourians for Responsible Transportation (MRT) followed the process and provided public comments this year.

Setting the Record Straight

MRT and other individuals and organizations worked hard to develop and submit comments through the official process. That’s why we were disappointed to see our input largely glossed over in the discussion among members of the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission (MHTC) before the updated STIP was adopted.

During that meeting, MoDOT staff did acknowledge the comment MRT submitted asking for the implementation of a statewide active transportation plan, but that explanation ignored the other key points we were making. What did MoDOT ignore?

• We spoke to the ongoing need for VRU-focused projects. Missouri has continued to trend in the wrong direction on traffic fatalities among vulnerable road users in recent years. From 2020-2024, there has been a 17% increase in motorcycle fatalities, an 11% increase in pedestrian fatalities, and a 125% increase in bicyclist fatalities. These trends have continued even as the overall number of traffic fatalities has decreased. Only a small number of STIP projects include some element of safety improvements for people who walk or bike. That is a concern for MRT because it doesn’t seem to align with goals in the state’s updated Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).
• We also expressed concern about the department's emphasis on system expansion. Our central point here is that expanding Missouri’s highway system, while doing little to incorporate multimodal elements into existing infrastructure, will increase our state’s financial obligations over time through increased maintenance costs. Especially when the overall budget forecast for the state isn’t good, MoDOT has to be more strategic with how it spends the limited funding it receives.

We raise these points not to be critical of MoDOT, but because they’re critical to building a transportation system that works for all Missourians.

The STIP is an important document that guides the efforts of MoDOT to build and maintain the state’s transportation system. While MRT welcomed the agency’s acknowledgement of our request for a statewide active transportation plan, our broader concerns about the focus and fiscal considerations of future projects remain. It is in that spirit that we are committed to advocating for a transportation system where every person has the freedom to choose how they move through the Show-Me State.