The project as a whole is estimated to cost close to $4 billion, but MoDOT plans to seek only $200 million in federal stimulus money to build a test segment in Cooper and Saline counties. 87 percent of Missouri communities are dependent on trucks to deliver products. Eventually, the project could expand to include an 800 mile corridor stretching from Kansas City to the Ohio/West Virginia border. The U.S. Department of Transportation said I-70 is a critical artery in transporting goods around the country.

Currently, I-70 is just two lanes of traffic in each direction, but the additional truck lanes would be on the inside of the other lanes, and would be separated from cars by a grass median.

There are more than 36,000 tractor trailor trucks in Missouri. Those trucks are involved in 28 percent of accidents, and 40 percent of the fatalities on I-70.

The other problem is the consideration of safety. Some Missourians are worried this addition will cause more wrecks since trucks will have to cross from their lanes into the general purpose lanes in order to exit the highway.