Highway 33 road construction is entering another important phase for drivers traveling between U.S. Route 69 and Holt.

Beginning October 6, crews are scheduled to use a pilot car to move northbound and southbound traffic through active work areas while pavement resurfacing continues along the corridor.

For Kearney-area residents, that means a familiar trip to work, school, shopping, or Interstate 35 could take longer than usual during much of October.

Daytime pilot-car operations are scheduled from about 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day, with the work expected to continue into late October if weather allows.

During a pilot-car operation, traffic in one direction is stopped while vehicles from the other direction are escorted through a single open lane.

The process is designed to keep traffic moving safely through a work zone where equipment, workers, and changing lane patterns may make normal two-way travel impossible.

Drivers should expect temporary stops and should build extra time into their trips rather than relying on their usual travel time.

Once crews reach the Kearney city limits, the schedule is expected to shift to nighttime operations, generally from about 7 p.m. until 6 a.m.

That change should reduce some daytime disruption inside Kearney, but evening and early-morning travelers may still encounter work-zone delays.

The project includes both pavement resurfacing and accessibility improvements along Missouri Route 33.

The larger Route 33 improvement program covers roughly 13 miles of roadway from Route PP to U.S. 69 and carries an estimated total project cost of about $4.055 million.

Accessibility work can include improvements such as curb ramps, sidewalk transitions, and other features intended to make pedestrian areas easier to use for people with disabilities.

For motorists, however, the most visible part of the project will be fresh pavement and the traffic-control measures needed to complete it safely.

Highway 33 between Kearney and Holt has already seen significant construction in recent years.

A separate project replaced a failed culvert with a new bridge north of Kearney, reopening that portion of the highway in 2025.

The current resurfacing work is a different project, but it affects the same corridor many local residents use every day.

Weather remains the biggest variable in the construction schedule, so daily work locations and traffic patterns may change.

Motorists should watch for flaggers, construction vehicles, temporary lane shifts, and instructions from the pilot-car operator.

Drivers should not enter a controlled work zone until directed to do so and should remain behind the pilot vehicle while being escorted through the area.

Slowing down and staying alert will be especially important as crews move from rural stretches of Highway 33 toward the busier Kearney area.

Residents who have appointments, school drop-offs, work shifts, or other time-sensitive trips may want to leave earlier than normal throughout the construction period.

If conditions stay favorable, the resurfacing and accessibility work is expected to continue through late October.

For Kearney and Holt drivers, a few extra minutes of planning may make the difference between a routine trip and an unexpected delay.

MoDOT’s revised notice says the pilot-car operation is scheduled from U.S. Route 69 to Holt, with motorists warned to expect delays and changing work-zone conditions. Because the schedule is weather permitting, the exact daily location of crews can shift.

Before a time-sensitive trip, drivers can check current MoDOT information and give themselves extra room in the schedule rather than assuming normal travel times.

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