March 9, 2018
Senator Caleb Rowden’s Column for the Week of March 5, 2018
Anyone who has driven past the State Capitol this week has likely noticed that a large construction area has been fenced off covering the front of the State Capitol and its south lawn. Over the next two years, this construction project will address the deteriorating stonework on the Capitol’s facades, dome and drum. This project will be the first update to the capitol since it was completed in 1917. More than 100 years of use has worn down the beautiful Capitol building, and these repairs are desperately needed to preserve the beauty of this historic landmark and the safety of the structure. Upon completion, this construction project will improve the structural stability and water drainage capabilities of the building and preserve the State Capitol’s majestic stonework.
The south side of the Capitol’s circle drive will be closed until December 2020. By closing the south circle drive to traffic, the two traffic lanes on North Capitol Drive will merge into one lane, eliminating visitor parking around the building. However, handicapped spaces will remain. The Capitol will be surrounded by scaffolding, and there will be several cranes located around the Capitol to assist with the renovation process. All construction work will be staged from the south lawn.
If you are traveling to the Capitol from Boone or Cooper County on I-63 South, you can exit and turn left onto West Main Street, then turn right onto Broadway Street and park along High Street or any of the side streets near the Capitol. Once you park, you may still enter the Capitol through the first floor entrance facing High Street. This entrance, commonly known as the carriage tunnel entrance, will be open 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, seven days a week. Keep an eye out for signs directing visitors to the best entrances around the Capitol.
The work is scheduled to be finished in early December of 2020, just in time for the governor’s inauguration in January of 2021. For more information, visit the Missouri State Capitol Commission’s website at https://capitol.mo.gov/construction/.
I am here to serve you, and my office door is always open to your questions, concerns and suggestions. You can reach my staff at 573-751-3931, and you can visit www.senate.mo.gov/rowden for an array of legislative and constituent resources.