MoDOT Director Testifies Before Senate Transportation Committee

Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Director Patrick K. McKenna is scheduled to testify before the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee on Jan. 13. 

McKenna will be testifying in support of increased transportation funding. Several bills have been filed this year to address the issue.

“Any additional state revenue is critical.  It is not acceptable just to maintain our system as it is,” McKenna said. “It is critical to build a 21st century transportation system today in order to fuel our economy and retain our workforce.”

McKenna said MoDOT is looking to address the state’s growing number of “critical-condition” bridges. “We must address this head-on because bridges connect our communities and are vital to urban and rural economies.”

There are nearly 10,400 bridges on the state highway system and about 60 percent are older than their intended useful life of 50 years. “While we have some money committed to their repair or replacement, the need is greater than the available resources,” McKenna said.

The Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee will hear SB 623, sponsored by Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, which seeks to raise the tax on gasoline by 1.5 cents per gallon and 3.5 cents per gallon for diesel fuel beginning on Oct. 1.