Crashes plague I-70 construction zones during KC-area road work. What’s causing them?
A stretch of Interstate 70 in eastern Jackson County and parts of Lafayette County has been a problem area for crashes in construction zones this year, statistics from the Missouri State Highway Patrol show.
Crews began work on Interstate 70 between Blue Springs and Odessa in September last year as part of a $350 million Missouri Department of Transportation project that will add a third lane to the highway in each direction.
Construction is slated for just west of Missouri Highway 7 in Blue Springs to near Missouri Highway H. It will also include I-70 interchange improvements at Highway D in Bates City and at Highway 131 in Odessa.
But as road improvements are underway, nearly 100 crashes in the area since the start of the year have kept first responders busy and construction crews vigilant, according to Cpl. Justin Howard, a highway patrol spokesman.
Crashes in I-70 construction zones
On Wednesday morning, two crashes in the area were reported just one hour apart from each other.
“We have investigated multiple crashes within the various construction zones along I-70 since the work began,” Howard said. “We continue to urge the public to remain patient as these improvement projects progress.”
According to highway patrol records, there have been 92 crashes on I-70, between Highway 7 and Highway F, since January.
The majority of those crashes have been in the westbound lanes, where 71 crashes have been reported since the start of the year. Of those 71, there were 60 in which no one was injured. The remaining 11 were crashes where people were injured, but no deaths were recorded.
In the eastbound lanes, 21 crashes were recorded in that same period. Of those 21, there were 19 in which no one was injured. No deaths were recorded.
Just outside the boundaries set for the statistics, there was one fatal crash in the area on Feb. 13, just west of Highway 7.
While each crash has had unique circumstances, Howard said, common causes of crashes in the area have been because of distracted driving, speeding, vehicles following too closely, and impairment.
Causes of traffic crashes
It’s unclear if there are other contributing factors to the influx of crashes reported on this stretch of I-70 construction zones, Howard said.
“In a construction zone, obviously it’s got slower speeds, so I think speed has a big part to play,” Howard said. “People are coming into that zone at a higher speed and approaching that zone as cars are slowing down.”
“There have certainly been challenges as drivers adjust to new traffic patterns, but it’s important to keep the long-term perspective in mind,” he said. “Once construction is complete, these upgrades will result in a safer, more efficient, and more advanced interstate for everyone traveling through Missouri.”
Construction zone challenges
Two crashes were reported in the construction zone Wednesday, the first around 6:15 a.m. on eastbound I-70 near Adams Dairy Parkway in Blue Springs.
According to early investigation details, a vehicle drove in a “careless and imprudent manner,” lost control and hit the back of a pickup truck. The vehicle went off the right side of the road and the pickup came to a stop, blocking both lanes of I-70.
The driver of the pickup had minor injuries and was transported to a local area hospital for medical treatment, according to the highway patrol.
The second crash happened around 7:15 a.m. on westbound I-70 near Highway 7. Two vehicles collided, causing one of them to face the wrong the direction and block the road until it was removed. No injuries were reported.
Howard said the highway patrol has fielded a number of complaints about the construction zone on I-70 causing slower traffic. Construction in the area is expected to last through 2028.
“Obviously, there’s frustration surrounding the construction zones,” Howard said. “But it’s just, you know, persisting through that adversity with the end goal in mind, and knowing things are going to be better once this project is complete.”
