Live Chats

Ask the Road Crew

A stretch of Kingshighway closes, the Martin Luther King Bridge closure's coming and getting around St. Louis gets trickier. Get all your commuting questions answered on Wednesday, July 8, 2015, during the weekly Road Crew chat with our experts from MoDOT, St. Louis and St. Louis County. Join them at 1 p.m.

3rd & 7 37yd

When will the ramp from westbound I-64 to southbound I-55/westbound I-44 be open? I checked the Poplar Street Ramp Project page at www.modot.org and there aren't any updates.

by Nick 7/8/2015 5:39:59 PM
We are looking at that reopening in the middle of next week, depending upon the weather. Heavy rains have an impact on placing the concrete needed for the driving surface. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 7/8/2015 5:40:00 PM
Question about Olive/Clarkson at I-64: I see that crews are working on adding a second left turn lane from NB Clarkson to WB I-64. Will there also be a second left turn lane from SB Clarkson to EB I-64? Will the left turn lanes be extended further back across the intersection so that left-turning traffic doesn't block through traffic?

by AdamL 7/8/2015 6:03:21 PM
There will be a second left turn lane from southbound Route 340 to EB I-64. We will not be extending the left turn lane past the signals -- the second turn lane will effectively double the number of cars that can make that turn in either direction. Andrew Gate, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 7/8/2015 6:03:22 PM
I saw the news item about reduced MODOT budgets preventing any expansion projects. Will that affect projects that are currently in the planning and design stages, such as the design-build at I-44 and MO-141? Or does that just mean that no new projects will be scheduled?

by AdamL 7/8/2015 6:06:06 PM
Any projects that are identified in our State Transportation Improvement Plan are considered funded and will be completed. So, projects such as the Route 47 bridge in Franklin County and design-build project will be completed. As we move through the next several years, construction funding will be focused on maintaining the primary roads. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 7/8/2015 6:06:07 PM
Southbound Midland Boulevard will remain closed indefinitely between Canton and Carleton in University City, following yesterday's pavement failure immediately south of Midland View. The road will be restored as quickly as possible. However, a timeline for that work has not yet been established. Motorists may use southbound Hanley and eastbound Olive to circumvent the closure. David Wrone, St. Louis County

by dwrone 7/8/2015 6:07:05 PM
Is there a timeline for the ongoing I-64/MO-141 project? When should we expect the various pieces to open (additional lane on I-64, additional lane on MO-141, interchange improvements, etc.)?

by AdamL 7/8/2015 6:09:17 PM
When will the Route 141/Hwy 40 be finished? Also when will all the lanes open on 141 between Ladue and Hwy 40?

by Jerry 7/8/2015 6:09:18 PM
We are looking at lanes on Route 141 and the westbound I-64 lanes opening later this year. The eastbound I-64 lanes are projected to be complete next year. Of course, that is dependent on the weather cooperating this summer. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 7/8/2015 6:09:20 PM
On the I-170 repaving that is currently ongoing, and I guess rain delayed, are the inside lanes going to be repaved? So far, at least between Page and I-64, the center and right lines have been resurfaced in both directions while the inside (left) has not been touched. Thanks.

by SteveMM 7/8/2015 6:10:22 PM
Yes, the heavy rains have had a major impact on the resurfacing project along I-170. The entire roadway is supposed to get the new driving surface. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 7/8/2015 6:10:23 PM
I'll forward this to our Division of Operations for remediation. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. David Wrone, St. Louis County

by dwrone 7/8/2015 6:15:34 PM
I'm not sure if this is St. Louis County or Valley Park's jurisdiction or if it's an issue for the property owners, but there are bushes and trees on the east side of Hanna Rd between Big Bend and Vance that are starting to encroach on the NB traffic lane. The problem is primarily on the southern end, around Spring Hill Farm Dr. This road has no shoulder so there is little margin for error.

by AdamL 7/8/2015 6:15:35 PM
When will all the work be complete on the HWY 109 project between Clayton Road and HWY 100?

by Wildwood 7/8/2015 6:23:42 PM
Crews are still wrapping up a lot of the final pieces of this project, including the landscaping over this summer. At lot of the landscaping work will depend on the weather conditions. We anticipate this project should be wrapped up soon. Andrew Gates, MoDOT COmmunications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 7/8/2015 6:23:43 PM
SB Vandeventer between Papin and Chouteau is being widened to provide two left turn lanes to Chouteau so that signal timing can be improved between these two intersections. Work is scheduled to be complete by the end of July, depending on the weather.

by Street Department 7/8/2015 6:31:26 PM
There have been long delays on Vandeventer southbound coming from Forest Park Parkway to the I-44 onramp. I think it's partly due to increased traffic from drivers rerouting away from Kingshighway. But there has also been ongoing utility work near the I-64 onramp which limits Vandeventer traffic to just one lane. Any idea when the utility work will be finished?

by jlee 7/8/2015 6:31:27 PM
About a month ago I asked about covering up the "exit only" signs for I-44 EB on the PSB. As I saw recently, only one was covered up (great, thanks!, leaving the one just above the exit gore uncovered. It can still cause confusion to drivers since the right lane is not exit only. Any chance both can be covered?

by DivideByZero 7/8/2015 6:38:22 PM
Regular commuters figured out the correct lane to be in fairly quickly, and the sign actually helped keep the lanes safer as people didn't try to shoot from the left lane to the right, according to our engineer overseeing the project. We anticipate opening the lanes on the PSB and the ramp to southbound I-55 sometime in the middle of next week. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 7/8/2015 6:38:23 PM
I-64 WB has a pothole right under the Pine St on-ramp (for I-64 EB) overpass.

by DivideByZero 7/8/2015 6:38:43 PM
I have passed that along to our maintenance team. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 7/8/2015 6:38:45 PM
I have sent your concern to the Construction Division to make sure striping is added through the intersection.

by Street Department 7/8/2015 6:39:51 PM
two problems with the kingshighway viaduct detour i have already noticed is the NB right turn onto Vandeventer. Most all vehicles queue up into the far right lane on kingshighway, but do not maintain their lane while turning, instead floating into the left lane and cutting off the cars turning right from the kingshighway middle lane. some combination of signage and striping is needed so that drivers realize there are two lanes of right-turning traffic, and maintain their lanes accordingly.

by jim 7/8/2015 6:39:53 PM
Yesterday's news about future road projects was very disturbing. How about the Legislature designating 10% or more of traffic fine money to go to the construction of roads and bridges?

by wiser 7/8/2015 6:49:08 PM
Any department funding must be determined by the Missouri taxpayers or by the legislature. Please share your thoughts on ways to meet the state's roadway needs by contacting your state legislators. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 7/8/2015 6:49:09 PM
Will I-64 shields ever be installed on Chesterfield Airport Road to direct drivers to the ramps Boone's Crossing ramps? I know it's redundant, but every other ramp seems to have the shields.

by DivideByZero 7/8/2015 6:50:27 PM
We are planning on updating the signs on Chesterfield Airport Road and all the ramps leading to I-64. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 7/8/2015 6:51:22 PM
There seems to be a lack of merge signs at on ramps on interstates in the city, the new stretch of I-64 being the exception. IE, I-44 WB doesn't have any from I-55 to Arsenal (as far as I drove that day), I-44 EB is missing them for Arsenal and Southwest, and I-64 EB at Papin. Why is this and can signs be installed?

by DivideByZero 7/8/2015 6:51:34 PM
Typically, we only install merge signs on those ramps where we have a short acceleration lane, since there are so many entrance ramps on the urban interstates. If we installed the signs at all ramps that have a merge condition, it would reduce the overall effectiveness of the sign at those locations where we need to call attention to the merging traffic. Some examples would be where the mainline traffic may not see the entrance ramp or where merging traffic causes excessive congestion. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 7/8/2015 6:51:36 PM