Detection of Passages Beneath Highways

Missouri has over 8,000 known caves and at least 350 mines. Internal investigations reveal that about a tenth of each (800 caves and 35 mines) are within 500 feet of Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) rights of way. However, it is challenging to determine which of these have passages beneath MoDOT roads and rights of way, as well as the depth of these passages. Addressing these questions is critical to ensuring infrastructure stability. In the case of threatened and endangered species and sensitive cave environments, understanding these locations can help better assess project impacts. This research should produce a comprehensive literature review detailing technologies and documented case study results. This will provide MoDOT with critical insights into advanced detection and mapping technologies for caves and mines beneath highways. By identifying more accurate, efficient, and minimally invasive methods for subsurface assessment, MoDOT can enhance infrastructure stability, minimizing the risk of unexpected subsurface collapses or disruptions.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $149,843.00
• Contract Numbers:

  TR202603

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Missouri Department of Transportation

  1617 Missouri Boulevard
  P.O. Box 270
  Jefferson City, MO  United States  65102
• Project Managers:

  Hosey, Jenni

• Performing Organizations:

  WSP USA

  One Penn Plaza
  250 W 34th Street
  New York, New York  United States  10119
• Principal Investigators:

  Ducey, Luke

• Start Date: 20250801
• Expected Completion Date: 20260701
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Caverns; Environmental impacts; Literature reviews; Mines; Right of way (Land)
• Identifier Terms: Missouri Department of Transportation
• Geographic Terms: Missouri
• Subject Areas: Environment; Geotechnology; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01974183
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Missouri Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: TR202603
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Dec 16 2025 9:16AM