MoDOT - Missouri Department of Transportation

07/28/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/28/2026 10:03

Progress Update for Route 66 Improvement Project for Week of July 27

Joplin - A project to make pavement, sidewalk, traffic and safety improvements along Missouri Route 66 (7th Street) in Joplin is underway. Here is an update of the work scheduled for the week of July 27.

Work scheduled:

  • Contractor installing new sidewalk, curb and entrances between Florida Avenue and Ozark Avenue
  • Excavation and placing new stormwater structures between Florida Avenue and Ozark Avenue
  • Preparing for new roadway pavement between Ozark Avenue and the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Railroad tracks
  • City of Joplin crews maintaining steel plates at intersection with St. Louis Avenue ahead of completion of sanitary sewer work
  • City of Joplin preparing for sanitary sewer work at Ozark Avenue
  • Liberty Electric preparing for remainder of utility relocation work at St. Louis Avenue
  • Missouri American Water working on water line between Florida Avenue and St. Louis Avenue
  • AT&T coordinating relocation of pole at the southeast corner of intersection at St. Louis Avenue
  • AT&T coordinating transfer of overhead lines to new poles
  • Bluebird Fiber boring new conduit
  • Lumen Fiber relocating fiber at Florida Avenue
  • Sparklight Internet coordinating transfers onto new Liberty poles as they are installed

Traffic Impacts:

  • At least one lane of Route 66 (7th Street) OPEN in both directions
  • Access to all business will be maintained at all times
  • Signs and message boards will alert drivers approaching the work zone
  • No signed detours
  • Drivers should find alternate routes around the work zone
  • Check MoDOT's Traveler Information Map for road closings/traffic impacts

Weather and/or scheduling conflicts could alter the work schedule.

Project Details:

The project will make improvements along the Route 66 (7th Street) corridor in Joplin between Jasper County Route P (Schifferdecker Avenue) and Loop 49 (Range Line Road).

As part of this project, the contractor will rebuild the pavement, bring sidewalks up to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, and upgrade and replace several traffic signals along the corridor.

This contract also includes a project to rehabilitate the Oak Street bridge over I-49 in Carthage. That project is likely to start in 2027.

Project Information:

  • Prime Contractor: D&E Plumbing & Heating LLC, Nixa
  • Construction Cost: $61.6 million
  • Contract Completion Date: December 1, 2028

For more information, call MoDOT in Springfield at 417-895-7600 or visit www.modot.org/southwest . To receive the latest news and text alerts, sign up for e-updates .

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MoDOT - Missouri Department of Transportation published this content on July 28, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 28, 2026 at 16:03 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]