Riggs secures construction funds for Hannibal Bypass, study to upgrade US 36 to I-72

HANNIBAL— State Representative Louis Riggs (R-Hannibal) secured nearly $20 million for projects in Northeast Missouri during the 2024 General Assembly session.

Riggs obtained $2 million for construction of the Hannibal Bypass on US 61 that was supposed to have been built decades ago as part of the Avenue of the Saints and another $2.5 million for an engineering study for upgrading US 36 to I-72 across the State of Missouri. 

The Federal Highway Administration designated US 36 as a high priority corridor in 2017.  Northeast Missouri is the only region in Missouri with no interstate access.  There are more than 100 sites of 200 acres or more under development in the State of Missouri, and only one is located on US 36.

“I have been working hard on infrastructure issues since coming to Jefferson City in 2019,” Riggs stated.  “I will continue to do everything I can to make sure that economic development funding comes to Northeast Missouri as long as I am in the General Assembly.” 

The Missouri Rural Enterprise and Innovation Center (MREIC) which serves 16 counties in Northeast and North Central Missouri and is based in Kirksville, will receive $1 million and Riggs also was able to procure $15 million to construct a radiation oncology center in Kirksville that Hannibal Regional Healthcare System will build to provide these life-saving treatments for the Kirksville region.

Riggs added that Governor Mike Parson has signed or approved seven of the 46 bills passed during this session, including:

• HB 2634, prohibits abortion clinics from receiving Medicaid reimbursements, restricts public funding for abortion facilities, and empowers legal enforcement against violations.
• SB 727 and HB 2287, aim to reform education by raising minimum teacher salaries, increasing funding for early childhood programs, expanding scholarship access, and supporting teacher retention.
• HB 2016, funds the deployment of Missouri personnel to the southern border for Operation Lone Star, supported by a$2.2 million supplemental budget for border security initiatives.
• HB 1751, allows the City of Raymore more influence over Kansas City’s landfill placements by increasing the municipal approval radius for waste disposal facilities from one-half mile to one mile.
• HB 1803, expands the MOBUCK$ program with a $400 million supplement, enabling reduced interest rates for borrowers, particularly benefiting farmers and small businesses amid high demand and inflation.
• HB 2015, which appropriates supplemental funds for the current fiscal year.

Riggs is chair of the House Committee on Workforce and Infrastructure Development and was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2018.