Business Loop 70 Pedestrian Accident in Columbia, MO: What the Road Safety Audit Found and What to Do If You’re Hurt
Quick answer: Columbia’s Road Safety Audit of I-70 Business Loop (final report dated August 20, 2026) found that no pedestrian or bicyclist who took the city’s survey said they felt “very safe” on the corridor. If you’re hit walking or biking on Business Loop 70, get medical care, call police, and preserve evidence fast, because responsibility can fall on the driver and, in some cases, on the public entity that controls the road. In Missouri you generally have 5 years to file an injury lawsuit and 3 years for wrongful death, but claims against a government entity carry extra hurdles, so don’t wait.
What did the Business Loop 70 Road Safety Audit find?
The City of Columbia hired the engineering firm CBB, working with Bartlett & West, to run a Road Safety Audit (RSA) on I-70 Business Loop from Stadium Boulevard to Eastland Circle. That’s about four miles of road. The team included city staff, MoDOT, the Federal Highway Administration, Columbia police and fire, and local groups, including a Hickman High School representative.
Here’s what jumped out at me.
The survey
The city’s survey drew 156 responses, online and paper. According to the final report, “There were no bicyclists or pedestrians who responded that they felt ‘Very Safe’ and very few who responded ‘Mostly Safe.'” The city’s presentation put it more bluntly: “No one feels safe walking or biking.”
KMIZ/ABC17 News, reviewing the survey results, reported that nearly 60% of respondents asked about walking said they felt “very unsafe.”
The crash history
The report looked at six years of crash data (2019 to 2024). The corridor had 306 crashes. Of those, 97 involved minor injuries, 13 involved serious injuries, and three were fatal. The report’s crash-type breakdown lists 3 pedestrian crashes and 6 bicycle crashes. The report notes that the data also includes some crashes along Providence Road.
Three pedestrian crashes in six years might sound low. Don’t read it that way. The survey tells you why: people avoid walking there because it feels dangerous. And the report says gaps in sidewalks push people onto shoulders, grass, and parking lots.
Hickman High School and mid-block crossings
This is the part that should bother every parent in Columbia. The audit says students told the team it feels safer to cross Business Loop mid-block than at the intersection, and that cars don’t always yield even when the walk sign is on. Students asked for a crosswalk at 7th Street so they can safely get to lunch spots across the road.
What happens next
The city’s presentation says the findings will go to the City Council at a work session in early 2027. The report is also clear that many of its recommendations are unfunded and still need study, planning, and design. So the road you walk today is the road the audit described.
Who maintains Business Loop 70?
It matters, and it’s not as simple as one answer. Parts of I-70 Business Loop are a state route maintained by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). The audit says the western section near Stadium Boulevard, and the stretch east of and including the I-70 interchange, are MoDOT routes, and that the city and MoDOT will have to cooperate on any fixes.
Why should you care? Because who controls the exact stretch where you were hurt can decide who you can hold responsible and how fast you have to move.
Who may be responsible for a pedestrian or bicycle crash on Business Loop 70?
The driver
Most of the time, it starts with the driver. Speeding, distraction, failing to yield in a crosswalk, turning without looking. Missouri is an at-fault state, so the driver who caused the crash (and their insurer) is usually the first place we look. Learn more about our work as a Columbia car accident lawyer.
A public entity, for a dangerous road condition
Government entities in Missouri usually have sovereign immunity. But RSMo 537.600 waives that immunity for injuries caused by the dangerous condition of a public entity’s property, if you can prove all of this:
- the property was in a dangerous condition when you were hurt,
- your injury directly resulted from that condition,
- the condition created a reasonably foreseeable risk of the kind of injury you suffered, and
- a public employee (or an agent of MoDOT) created the condition, or the entity had actual or constructive notice of it in time to fix it.
The statute also gives the public entity a complete defense in certain road-design cases: if the road was designed and built before September 12, 1977, and the entity proves the design reasonably complied with standards generally accepted at that time, the claim is barred.
Claims against public entities can also come with damage limits and special notice requirements. That’s one more reason to talk to a lawyer early.
Other parties
Depending on the facts, a business with an unsafe driveway, a contractor working on the road, or a vehicle manufacturer could share responsibility.
What if I was crossing mid-block?
You may still have a claim. Missouri follows pure comparative fault. In plain English: if a jury says you were partly at fault, your damages get reduced by your percentage, but you aren’t automatically shut out. The Missouri Supreme Court adopted this rule in Gustafson v. Benda.
Don’t let an adjuster talk you out of a claim because you weren’t in a crosswalk. That’s their opening line. It’s not the law.
What should I do after a pedestrian or bike crash on Business Loop 70?
- Get medical care. Call 911. Even if you feel okay, get checked.
- Call police and get the report number. Columbia police or the Missouri State Highway Patrol may respond depending on location.
- Photograph everything: the spot you were hit, the crosswalk (or lack of one), signals, lighting, sidewalk gaps, skid marks, your bike, your injuries.
- Get witness names and numbers. Nearby businesses may have cameras. Ask fast, because footage gets recorded over.
- Write down exactly where you were: cross street, business name, which side of the road. That location may determine whether MoDOT or the city controls the road.
- Keep your shoes, clothes, helmet, and bike as they are. Don’t fix or toss anything.
- Don’t give a recorded statement to any insurer before you talk to a lawyer.
- Talk to a lawyer early, especially if a road defect may be involved.
How long do I have to file?
In Missouri, most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within 5 years (RSMo 516.120). Wrongful death claims must be filed within 3 years (RSMo 537.100). Claims involving a public entity may have additional requirements, so treat those deadlines as the outside limit, not the plan. If you lost a loved one, see our Columbia wrongful death lawyer page.
Talk to a Columbia pedestrian and bicycle injury lawyer
We have an office in Columbia. If you or someone you love was hurt walking or biking on Business Loop 70, we’ll look at what happened, who controls that stretch of road, and what your options are. See our Columbia bicycle accident lawyer, Missouri pedestrian accident lawyer, and Columbia personal injury lawyer pages. No attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Business Loop 70 in Columbia dangerous for pedestrians?
The City of Columbia’s 2026 Road Safety Audit found that no pedestrian or bicyclist who answered its survey said they felt “very safe” on the corridor. The report also documented 306 crashes from 2019 to 2024, including 13 serious-injury crashes and three fatal crashes.
Who maintains Business Loop 70?
Parts of I-70 Business Loop are a state route maintained by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), and the Road Safety Audit says the City of Columbia and MoDOT will have to cooperate on improvements. Who maintains the exact stretch where a crash happened matters, because it affects who may be responsible.
Can I sue MoDOT or the City of Columbia for a dangerous road?
Possibly. RSMo 537.600 waives sovereign immunity for injuries caused by a dangerous condition of public property when specific elements are proven, including that the public entity created the condition or had notice of it in time to fix it. These claims have strict requirements, so talk to a lawyer early.
Can I recover if I was crossing mid-block?
Possibly. Missouri follows pure comparative fault, so your compensation can be reduced by your share of fault, but it isn’t automatically barred.
How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident claim in Missouri?
Most Missouri personal injury lawsuits must be filed within 5 years, and wrongful death lawsuits within 3 years. Claims against public entities can involve additional requirements, so don’t wait.
What evidence matters most after a Business Loop 70 crash?
The exact crash location, photos of the road, crosswalks and signals, witness contact information, nearby business security video, the police report, and your medical records.
When will the city act on the Road Safety Audit?
The city’s presentation says the findings will go to a City Council work session in early 2027. The report says many of its recommendations are not yet funded and still need study, planning, and design.
Sources
- City of Columbia / CBB, I-70 Business Loop Road Safety Audit, final report (Aug. 20, 2026)
- City of Columbia, Road Safety Audit presentation
- KMIZ/ABC17 News, “‘No one feels safe walking or biking’ on Business Loop 70 in Columbia, Road Safety Audit says” (Oct. 6, 2026)
- RSMo 537.600 (sovereign immunity exceptions)
- RSMo 516.120 (five-year limitations period)
- RSMo 537.100 (wrongful death limitations period)