Officials seek interstate designation around Springfield

Local transportation officials are working to determine the feasibility of designating the stretch of highways bordering Springfield as an interstate.

While currently just in the discussion phase, the Ozarks Transportation Organization's technical planning committee is slated to meet Nov. 20 to determine whether to recommend the idea to the organization's board of directors, according to OTO Executive Director Sara Fields. If the board then approves it, the metropolitan planning organization would write a letter recommending the designation to the Federal Highway Administration, Fields said.

The designation would rename two major highways surrounding Springfield as Interstate-244, Fields said. I-244 would stretch about 35 miles, along James River Freeway from Interstate-44 to U.S. Highway 65, following 65 north back up to I-44, she said.

"We think it will help us attract new industry, help us market the region," Fields said. "We believe that interstate designation is a factor that companies use in deciding where they're going."

First comes fact finding and garnering support, she said.

"We don't really understand how we get there right now. We are starting a conversation with (the Missouri Department of Transportation) and the Federal Highway Administration so that we can better understand what we need to do," Fields said. "Before we get too far down the road, we want to bring that before the region and say, 'Is this an idea that we all support? Does it make sense for us?' If so, we can go forward and decide how much it will cost and what needs to be done to proceed."

While total costs are unknown, Fields said officials expect only the need to pay for signage changes.[[In-content Ad]]