Mo. lawmakers approve $140 million construction budget

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo (AP) -- Missouri lawmakers have given final approval to $140 million of construction projects.

The capital improvements budget passed Thursday includes more than $22 million for improvements at vocational technical schools in 11 communities. It also includes $10 million to continue work on a building used for heavy equipment courses at Linn State Technical College.

Other expenditures include:

-- About $7 million divided among seven river ports along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.

-- $7 million for improvements to the Capitol and Governor's Mansion, and $7 million for the state archives.

-- $5 million for improvements on the railroad tracks used by Amtrak.

-- $18 million for a new 52-bed facility at the Bellefontaine Habilitation Center at St. Louis.

-- $36 million for projects overseen by the state Department of Conservation.