For immediate release: Monday, July 27, 2026

Kansas City, in partnership with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), has been awarded $1 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to develop a funding and financing plan for major improvements to US 71 and I-35, two of the region's most heavily traveled corridors.

Improving both highways is estimated to cost up to around $4.5 billion, a figure developed through years of City studies and community engagement focused on reconnecting East Side neighborhoods divided by Highway 71 and Westside neighborhoods split by Interstate 35. The grant will bring in a team of financial and infrastructure experts to help the City and MoDOT figure out the best way to pay for the work.

 

"Kansas City is growing, and our infrastructure must grow with it," said Mayor Quinton Lucas. "We are thankful for the $1 million investment that will provide us the expertise to develop a responsible, long-term funding plan for improvements that will benefit residents, businesses, and the entire region for decades to come."

The expert team will look at different ways to fund and build the projects, weigh the costs and benefits of each approach, and identify the best path forward. The goal is to find at least two funding strategies that work under Missouri law and move both corridors closer to actual construction — carrying out the vision developed through earlier community-driven planning efforts to reconnect the East Side and Westside.

"Investing in US 71 and I-35 means investing in the people and economy of the Kansas City region,” said Jeff Hardy, MoDOT Assistant District Engineer of Program Delivery. “MoDOT is committed to working with the City to develop a funding strategy that is creative, sustainable, and reflective of the communities these corridors serve."

Community input will be a central part of the process. The City and MoDOT will continue to host public workshops to ensure residents and stakeholders have a voice in how these corridors are improved.

US 71 and I-35 are essential to moving people and goods across the Kansas City region and serve as key connectors for major economic and civic events. Developing a sound financing plan now is a critical step toward bringing these improvements to construction.

The grant was awarded through the Build America Bureau, the U.S. Department of Transportation's office for infrastructure finance and technical assistance.