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Lake Of The Ozarks Roads Received Millions In Upgrades This Year, As Cities Seek To Welcome Visitors

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New Paving on Bagnell Dam Blvd!👷‍♂️🚧

The city is spending $2.5 Million to upgrade the Boulevard and other major roads in Lake Ozark, MO…

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. — As the Lake of the Ozarks’ population grows and millions of visitors continue to pour in each year, cities are working tirelessly to keep up with infrastructure — especially the one thing that affects everybody: the roads.

Camdenton, Osage Beach, and Lake Ozark are the three largest cities at the Lake, and each has major resurfacing or expansion projects underway. Whether it's to extend the lifespan of the streets, improve safety, or handle the growing traffic, millions of dollars are being invested in the region's roads. 

Here are some of the projects drivers have probably noticed in recent months, and ones that are slated in the coming years around the Lake. 

Camdenton 

Every year, the City of Camdenton invests about $150,000 to $200,000 in road resurfacing. Four years ago, crews completed major upgrades to North and South Business 5 — two key thoroughfares in town. Now, even bigger projects are on the horizon.

Highway 54 Widening Project

Where: Highway 54 from the Camdenton Square, west to the edge of the city limits

Camdenton Planned Road Widening

Drivers have already seen the start of this one. The Missouri Department of Transportation, which owns Hwy 54, says the current design in Camdenton doesn't support the 10,000+ vehicles using the corridor from the Route 5 interchange to Bumper Hill Road each day. 

This $6.85 million project will expand the highway to five lanes, with two lanes of travel in each direction and a shared turn lane. Construction was supposed to begin in the summer of 2024, but it was pushed back to give time to relocate utilities. 

"The project is scheduled to start October 27," said City Administrator Jeff Hooker (pending weather). "We had to move our water and sewer utilities, which cost the City about $1.1 million."

AT&T, gas lines, cable, etc. also had to be moved at their own expense for the expansion. The project must be complete by Nov. 1, 2027 according to the contract with Capital Paving & Construction, LLC. 

Hwy 54 will remain open throughout construction, though it will require lane shifts, temporary lane closures, and some narrowed lanes. MoDOT will coordinate with affected property owners who might have entrances along the corridor temporarily reduced. 

"The expansion was really the previous administration's push in '17 and '18 before I got here," Hooker noted. "I believe traffic flows pretty good through there. You get some school traffic that slows things down, but nothing like it grinds on the other side. We see a bigger problem there."

RELATED: Congestion Relief at Hwy 54 & Route 5?

That points to the other major need in Camdenton. Locals and tourists alike know about the traffic jams coming towards Camdenton from Linn Creek, on westbound Highway 54.

Traffic Headed Into Camdenton On Highway 54

A $4 million project would start fixing the Lake's biggest traffic problem, but the Governor sidelined the funds in the state budget. If those funds were released, work could soon happen on that project as well: MoDot even has a plan on how to fix it.

"That's the main complaint I get as it relates to traffic," Hooker said of the corridor, which averages 40,000-45,000 vehicles a day. "Everybody thinks it's just during the summer, but when season ends, school starts, including all the travel for events and sports."

Sign On Hwy 54

Local mortage business MHQ gave a nod to the notoriously bad traffic near the Highway 54/Highway 5 intersection on this billboard near the intersection.

Jeff Vernetti, the District 123 House Representative, is pushing for Gov. Mike Kehoe to release the funds, which he originally got in the budget. 

The City of Camdenton sent a letter of support for Vernetti's fight. Hooker said he wished the $6 million for the widening project went to this issue first.

"We're at the mercy of MoDOT. We can't do anything on Route 54 without their approval," Hooker noted. "The problem is, for the past 25 years, that thoroughfare has seen a 1.7% increase in traffic. If you predict 1.7% for the next 20 years, it basically becomes what MoDOT calls an unserviceable road."

Hooker hopes to hear something on that front by the end of the year.

Read more about the restricted project.

Highway 54 Repaving 

Hooker also said drivers can also expect work on eastbound Hwy 54 in 2026. MoDOT reportedly has a budget and plan to do a complete repaving from the Camdenton square all the way to Osage Beach next summer. 

Osage Beach 

According to Jeff Fisher, the Director of Public Works for Osage Beach, the City's road network is in good condition based on a third-party evaluation. He attributed this to quality subsurface materials and investment from the City over the years.  

"I have served in three cities in Missouri and one in Kansas, and have been involved in the American Public Works Association during my career as a director, and I can say that in many cities, street conditions are a top three priority for those communities due to dissatisfaction," Fisher said. 

One thing Osage Beach is doing to get the most out of every dollar is using different surface treatments. This includes the methods like the scrub/micro-seal on Osage Beach Parkway and chip-seal on a couple roads around the Public Works campus. 

"When applied at the right time in a street's life, these treatments are much more cost effective than the traditional overlays," Fisher said. "We get more life out of the road at a lower cost."

Osage Beach Pkwy Pavement Work 

Work is currently underway to extend the pavement's life by about 10 years before another application is necessary. 

Resealing on Osage Beach Parkway

The same contractor micro-sealed the Parkway in 2017. Vance Brothers, LLC began on Sept. 22 near Harley Davidson, and have continued east through Osage Beach toward Mace Road. The project should be complete by the end of October with striping.

Fisher said this project will cost close to $1.45 million. 

Proposed Projects

Culvert Replacement: two proposed. The existing culvert pipes would likely be replaced with a box-culvert and require a temporary road be built for residents to use during construction.

- Ash Lane is in the draft budget for 2026

- Nichols Road would presumably take place in 2027

Procter Dr: a much less invasive repair project for erosion that Fisher wants to tackle in 2026. It was budgeted a few years ago, but other priorities took over. A consultant will be used to better understand the drainage issues.

Sidewalk & ADA Improvements: this is targeted on Osage Beach Pkwy, though there is no set strategy yet. The Special Road District is interested in sharing funding for the next five years in this area. The City received federal grant funding through the Safe Streets For All Program that is ongoing. 

 "There will be hot spots identified through crash data that can help us target areas for sidewalk improvements," Fisher added.

New equipment has also been proposed in the budget to help the transportation team make better, longer-lasting repairs. It could be utilized on private roads in place of contractors as well. 

Under City Administrator Devin Lake, Osage Beach is developing a five-year Capital Improvement Program to guide long-term infrastructure investments. The plan will use data—like street condition reports—to prioritize projects, including major upgrades to the city’s water and sewer systems.

"Our biggest enemy is complacency. We cannot sit on our hands when it comes to streets," Fisher said. "When it comes to infrastructure, it is critical to stay ahead of the conditions because I have seen how bad it can be for a community."

Lake Ozark 

One of the most notable — and needed — upgrades at the Lake has been Bagnell Dam Boulevard. Over the past two years, though, that road has received a massive upgrade.

The $1.58 million multi-phase improvement project was funded by a 2023 debt issuance and using existing reserves from the Use Tax on internet sales approved in 2020. 

The debt issuance also funded the reconstruction of Lighthouse Road, and a water main extension on Overlook and Glen Roads.

After two years without any spending on road work in '21 and '22, Lake Ozark has renewed its commitment to infrastructure — part of the City’s broader effort to take road maintenance more seriously, according to City Administrator Harrison Fry.

Bagnell Dam Blvd Road Work

Bagnell Dam Blvd

Fry says the Lake’s “red carpet” has been rolled out anew — and he's glad to see Lake Ozark's main thoroughfare will be more welcoming for years to come.

The City also expressed thanks on social media, saying it "appreciates the support and patience that our residents, businesses, and tourists have granted us over the years as we have worked to complete these projects."

Thankfully Lake Ozark didn't mess around, separating the Bagnell Dam Blvd resurfacing into three phases.

Phase One: completed under budget and on-schedule last summer, this project ran from School Rd to the MM overpass. 

Phase Two: completed on-schedule last fall, this portion stretched from School Rd to the City limit line near Bagnell Dam. The reconstructed surface included driving lanes, parking areas, and crosswalk enhancement. 

Phase Three: recently finished under budget in October 2025, this went from the MM overpass to the Osage Beach Parkway intersection. 

"This has been a huge priority for years," Fry said. "We are in a much better spot to maintain the road for the next generation, and we hope to continue reinvesting in the community so it's never in that condition again." 

Sidewalk Expansion

With Bagnell Dam Blvd finally complete, the City is turning its attention to a new sidewalk expansion. Funded by a state grant, the project will add a sidewalk from Henderson Lane to the HH intersection, including signal detection upgrades and winter-capable construction.

The design is finished and construction bids are underway, with a contractor expected to be named by the end of October. Fry said the project will connect existing sidewalks, improving walkability and safety throughout the area.

For Lake Ozark residents, Fry added the focus isn't only on the historic Bagnell Dam Strip. "As the years go on, we'll be reinvesting where you live," he said.

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