In 1990, the Missouri Transportation Corporation Act was created to allow quasi-governmental agencies called "transportation corporations" to seek alternate funding for and oversee highway improvement projects. In 1998, when the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) deferred 4-lane expansion plans for US Highway 63 from Macon to Kirksville until at least 2020, Kirksville citizens decided to take advantage of that act in order to move the project forward.

A Highway 63 Taskforce was formed by the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce, and with the cooperation of MoDOT, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (MTHC), the citizens of Adair and Macon counties and other interest parties and organizations, the Highway 63 Transportation Corporation (H63TC) was incorporated in 1999.

According to the Articles of Incorporation, the purpose of the new corporation was "To fund, promote, plan, design, construct, maintain and operate, or assist therein, the...construction of two additional lanes on Highway 63...from Route KK in Adair County to Route DD in Macon County...to issue revenue bonds and refunding revenue bonds...to pursue additional funding...to secure and obtain rights-of-way...a Cooperative Agreement with the Commission, the County of Adair and the City of Kirksville."

Alternative funding, including a 0.5% city sales tax increase approved for ten years by the voters of Kirksville, was found, and design and construction engineers were hired. The official groundbreaking for construction was held in May 2003 with a projected completion date of Fall 2005. The ribbon cutting ceremony was held at four sites along the route (Macon, Atlanta, La Plata and Kirksville) and the new lanes officially opened to the public in October 2005 – right on time.

The Highway 63 Transportation Corporation will continue to operate until all funds from the sales tax have been collected, expended and accounted for, all debts paid and its business finalized.