A new plan for reorganization of the Missouri Department of Transportation will eliminate 1,200 state transportation jobs and three of the ten regional MoDOT districts.

MoDOT director Kevin Keith said the unwillingness of lawmakers at both the state and federal levels to increase tax revenues, along with a dramatic increase in fuel and other costs will half MoDOT’s annual resources over the next five years to about 600 million dollars.

“It’s not enough to build the projects that Missouri wants,” said Kevin Keith, MoDOT director. “It’s not enough long term to even keep the system of roads and bridges we have in the state in good condition.”

The agency has made substantial cuts – 340 people already.

But that’s only a beginning. The plan over the next five years is to eliminate another 1,200 people – mostly in middle management positions. Keith said he wants to keep as many maintenance crews on the payroll has he can, but even they will have to make do with less.

Keith also proposed to close the offices in Macon, Joplin and Willow Springs.

The Highway Commission took no action on the plan on Wednesday and called for an extended period of public comment. The full plan is available for review.