Senator Proposes Widening Interstates in Missouri

Drivers along I-44 are having to share the road with a growing number of commercial trucks.
According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, there will be 800,000 more large trucks driving up and down this interstate in five years.

Senator Bill Stouffer from Napton in central Missouri is proposing a full one-cent sales tax increase to fund an expansion of the entire length I-44 and I-70 across Missouri.

The senator's proposal would increase I-44 from four to eight lanes, with the two additional lanes in both directions reserved for commercial vehicles only.

So, your car would not be passing side by side with a semi, but would be in a separate lane.

When asked Monday, some truck drivers at a truck stop in Strafford had mixed feelings about that proposal;

"Sounds like it'd be a good idea," said Glenn Temples who drives for Christenson Trucking Company.  "I mean it'd be good for the cars and the trucks at least can have them separate.  That seems to be the biggest complaint.  Now it's trucks blame it on the four-wheelers and four wheelers blame it on the trucks."
 
Driver Dalton Hines doesn't see the benefit of the proposal.  "I don't see no excessive traffic.  To build the extra lanes you're talking about is plain ludicrous.  I don't know, unless you want to spend a bunch of money."

Senator's Stouffer office Monday said the one cent sales tax increase would generate $7 billion and would expire in 10 years.

Stouffer says this proposal is at least starting a conversation about improving the interstates without making them toll roads.

 Stouffer's office says it's getting support so far.  The bill is on its second reading and is now being debated in a transportation committee.