The project to expand Columbia's Rangeline Street (Hwy 763) was recently completed.
The project has been the subject of long discussion, particularly because Columbia's street standards require accommodating bicyclists and pedestrians on all roads, and MoDOT roads in similar locations have not typically included these facilities.
(See updates on the project in MoBikeFed News from 2005, 2005, 2006,
The City, area residents and businesses, and MoDOT have engaged in working out the difficulties with right-of-way, funding, and design and the result seems to be a success, according to this KOMU article:
"Congestion and safety were two primary reasons for making changes to the highway," [MoDOT Central District Engineer Roger] Schwartze said. Now he says, "By making it a four lane road that congestion's eliminated, but we've also enhanced the project in a lot of ways."
Those other enhancements include new measures for safety such as sidewalks and shoulders with bike lanes. Raised medians have been added to the roads as well as a roundabout at the Route VV and Prathersville Road intersection.
Mayor Hindman, who is known for his work around Columbia involving bicycle safety and has even traveled as far as Maryland to promote it, said he fought hard for the bicycle lanes to be added to the new highway project. He also said he was a major advocate of moving the utilities underground so that it would enhance the look of the area for the community.
