The Missouri Department of Transportation Southwest District will host three public meetings this month to discuss plans to convert U.S 71 Highway into Interstate 49. According to MoDOT, U.S. 71 between Interstate 44 to south of Pineville already meets interstate standards, but the portion between I-44 and Kansas City will have to be improved in order to receive an interstate designation.

Improvements include eliminating all at-grade intersections and replacing them with 13 interchanges.

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The early estimate to upgrade U.S. 71 is $200 million.

The first area public meeting will be conducted in Butler on Tuesday. Oct. 14

In Nevada, a meeting will be conducted Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the City/County Community Center, 200 N. Ash Street, from 4-7 p.m.

A third meeting will be conducted on Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Thiebaud Auditorium in Lamar from 4-7 p.m.

The meetings are an informal, and will be presented in an open house, come-and-go format.

For years, the Interstate 49 International Coalition, whose members included Nevada's own Kathi Wysong -- and numerous economic development groups up and down the corridor have sought to make the dream of the north-south corridor traversing the United States a reality.

An economic impact analysis found on www.modot.gov guesses that the upgrade would mean 81 new jobs in Missouri per year and cited several economic advantages that could accompany the project.

For more information, contact MoDOT Customer Service at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT.