Columbia Business Loop Improvement Plan

The City of Columbia, in coordination with the Loop Community Improvement District and the Missouri Department of Transportation, is beginning work on a Business Loop improvement plan focused on the I-70 Business Loop corridor. This effort is funded through a $2 million Reconnecting Communities Planning Grant and will evaluate how the corridor functions today while identifying opportunities for long-term improvements. The planning process is analyzing the street in detail and produce engineering documents that can guide future capital improvements along the entire corridor. 

The project is examining ways to improve transportation and the overall appearance of the Business Loop while strengthening connections between neighborhoods, businesses and key destinations. Potential improvements include upgraded sidewalks, enhanced pedestrian and bicycle connections, stormwater management features, beautification elements and redesigned intersections. Great River Engineering, consultants on the project, are reviewing current conditions and developing potential design concepts that reflect how people move through and use the corridor today. 

Community input will play an important role in shaping the plan. Residents, business owners and anyone who travels along the corridor are invited to attend the first public open house on Thursday, March 19, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Boone Electric Cooperative’s Community Room, 1413 Rangeline St. The meeting will be held in an open-house format with no formal presentation, allowing participants to stop by, review maps and surveys of existing conditions, see initial improvement ideas and share feedback with the project team.

Following the March 19 open house, an online survey will be available on the project page. The survey will open after the meeting and remain available for public comment through April 2.