MoDOT to open new exit ramp to Missouri Research Park
October 01, 2008

ST. LOUIS - The Missouri Department of Transportation, its contractor L. Krupp Construction, St. Charles County and Missouri Research Park officials will celebrate the opening of a new exit ramp to the Missouri Research Park from eastbound Interstate 64/Route 40.

They will hold a ribbon cutting on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. at the top of the new ramp in Weldon Spring. The public and the media are cordially invited to attend the event.

This ribbon cutting marks the completion of an extensive effort by MoDOT, St. Charles County, the University of Missouri and local businesses to complete the new exit ramp from the interstate. The project cost more than $1.5 million, and the research park and local businesses donated right of way and labor to complete the project.

"Funding and advancing this project has been a great partnership between the Missouri Department of Transportation and the University of Missouri," said Rick Finholt, executive director for the Missouri Research Park. "The innovative financing, design and inspection work on the part of MoDOT, along with the fill material relocation work, and tenant and University of Missouri matching funds, made this project a successful reality."

Ed Hassinger, MoDOT district engineer for St. Louis said,  "By using innovative financing options to complete needed transportation projects, MoDOT can help increase the economic development of growing areas around the state. Cooperating with other state agencies and local businesses to accomplish vitally needed projects is one of the best ways to help stretch the diminishing highway construction dollars MoDOT has available."

The Missouri Research Park is the first business park in the St. Louis region to market exclusively to technology-intensive and research-based companies. The 200-acre research and development park, with more than 1.2 million square feet under roof, has been a catalyst for development along the Highway 40/61 high-tech corridor in St. Charles County. Today, 14 companies and three government facilities within the Park employ approximately 2,000 people. The Missouri Research Park is a project of the University of Missouri Office of Economic Development and Research Parks, whose mission is to support Missouri’s economic growth by developing and sustaining research and technology alliances among the University, government agencies and private companies. For more information, call (636) 441-7701 or visit the Missouri Research Park web site at www.um-mrp.org.