Officials are gearing up to break ground on a new highway interchange that will be built on US Highway 36 for the new Agri-Business Expo Center and nearby businesses.

A groundbreaking is schedule for Friday, May 6th at 10 a.m. at 5917 Corporate Dr. in St. Joseph.

The Missouri Department of Transportation Cost Share/Economic Development Committee awarded up to $4.9 million to the Agri-Business Expo Center to design and construct a diamond interchange.

The exit will be located about one mile east of the Riverside Road/Route AC interchange on U.S. Highway 36.

“We’ve worked hard and made a lot of progress but this is actual outward progress that the community can see,” said Patti Long, Dir. of Development for the Expo Center.

As we previously reported, the interchange will serve as a private road that will lead south to Pickett Road, through the Agri-Business Expo Center’s 150-acre campus. To the north, the road is expected to eventually connect to the Mitchell Woods Business Park.

Plans to construct the Expo Center itself are still in the works.

“As they interchange is happening we’re going to start work on our infrastructure,” Long said. “Right now there’s ground, there’s no utilities running through it.  Our idea is to start working on the infrastructure as the interstate is being built so we can be ready on our end for when the interchange is done.”

Missouri Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce is expected to speak at the ground breaking for the interchange.  Long said other officials from the Buchanan County Commissioner’s office, St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, Missouri Department of Transportation and a representative from Senator Claire McCaskill’s office as well as others are expected to attend.