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Ask the Road Crew

Is your route to work giving you a headache because of potholes, poorly timed lights or street construction? Let the experts know, and ask them your questions about highways and roads. The live chat starts at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3.

3rd & 7 37yd

I saw some comments last week regarding the traffic light and trains for SB Sulpher at Manchester in the City of St. Louis. I drive through there daily and I couldn’t agree more with the posters. Just post a sign prohibiting blocking the intersection (for the 2 cars/day that wish to continue south on Sulpher) and run the signals for SB Sulpher as well as for Manchester when a train is running through. Yes—it can be this simple and the motorists will thank you for once.

by Hello 7/3/2019 1:19:29 PM
Speaking of Manchester in the City of St. Louis: is there a way to better sync the signals at Sulpher and Knox? Just this morning, headed west, I caught the red light at Sulpher. When that one turned green, I was greeted with red light at Knox. Would it be possible to set these up so motorists stop at one but not both? Thanks.

by Hello 7/3/2019 1:19:30 PM
I will share your suggestion with the traffic engineer who oversees Manchester, but typically, it isn't that simple. Often the signal equipment cannot handle a relatively complex situation (I.e. run normally, unless there is a train, and then run in a special mode) such as this without significant updates to the signal and the cabinet. In addition, funding for such items is limited, and we have many more higher priority concerns in the region that funding should be used to address. If you are trying to reach Hampton, there is a connector on the west side of the Hampton viaduct, as well. As far as your concern about Sulpher and Knox, I will pass it along to our engineer to review as well; however, the heaviest traffic in the morning is heading eastbound and most of the signals are set to move that traffic along. That often means that the opposite direction gets more red lights (to allow more left turning traffic to clear, etc). Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by andrew.gates 7/3/2019 1:19:32 PM
Minor signal issue - 9500 Watson (Shnucks, Planet Fitness, no longer the Crestwood Mall), it appears that when WB traffic receives a left turn signal, both EB and WB thru traffic are being given a red signal. Since the EB turn signal has been deactivated, for several years, there should be no need to hold WB thru traffic, for the turn cycle. Thanks!

by Jimmy Z 7/3/2019 1:21:34 PM
I will share that with our traffic engineers for Watson to check into. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communciations

by andrew.gates 7/3/2019 1:21:35 PM
When they're doing the road work on Big Bend, sometimes they have pipes hooked into water main and they pour large amounts of water into the street that then goes down the nearest storm drain, sometimes just a matter of 100 feet or so. (And sometimes forming a huge puddle.) There's obviously some reason behind it. What is it?

by Tom 7/3/2019 5:48:37 PM
Before Missouri American Water puts a new water main into service, it makes sure the new pipe is free of any contaminants. The water flushing is part of that process. David Wrone, St. Louis County

by dwrone 7/3/2019 5:48:38 PM
Now that the economy has improved, have there been any thoughts about reviving the South County Connector project?

by Jimmy Z 7/3/2019 5:50:03 PM
I have heard nothing about resurrecting this particular project, but will check with our executive staff at our weekly meeting next Monday. David Wrone, St. Louis County

by dwrone 7/3/2019 5:50:04 PM
Last week, a Road Crew chat participant shared her concerns with backed up traffic on Marshall Road, between Big Bend and Laclede Station Road. Our signals group investigated, and found that the signal controlling Big Bend and Shrewsbury Avenue was malfunctioning and creating the aforementioned delays on Marshall. The malfunction has been repaired, and the signal is operating properly. David Wrone, St. Louis County.

by dwrone 7/3/2019 5:53:32 PM
I want to point out the good work on resurfacing 141 between Clayton Rd and 40. It looks great! Additionally, it was done with minimal disruption which is much appreciated.

by Ryan 7/3/2019 6:03:15 PM
Thanks -- we still have a good amount of work along Route 141 -- we still have resurfacing all the way into Jefferson County. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communication

by andrew.gates 7/3/2019 6:03:16 PM
Oh, I did not realize that was the plan, but welcome the improvement and look forward to seeing the completed project

by Ryan 7/3/2019 6:08:20 PM
Thanks again! Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by andrew.gates 7/3/2019 6:08:20 PM
I'm sure this has been asked previously, but I couldn't find it. What improvements are being made on the 141 bridge going over the Meremec River? Also, are there improvement to the 141/44 interchange? I heard the right lane going south on 141 will soon allow motorists to access East AND Westbound 44 (currently drivers wanting to go West must stay in the middle lane until after the exit to the Eastbound flyover). This would be great as the current structure does not make sense to the non-engineer here.

by Ryan 7/3/2019 6:12:27 PM
The work on the Route 141 bridge over the Meramec River is simply preventative maintenance. They replaced the expansion joints on the bridge (which help the bridge expand and contract as temperatures change) and will be putting a protective overlay on top of the bridge. We will be adjusting the right lane/ramp on southbound Route 141 to be able to go eastbound and westbound on I-44. That will happen late this year a the end of the resurfacing project. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications.

by andrew.gates 7/3/2019 6:12:28 PM
I want to talk about to project that's been going on for like a year. When will the project be done in shrewsbury and that on ramp near the police station? It's the on ramp going east on i44

by Biggums 7/3/2019 6:19:45 PM
All lanes on I-44 near Shrewsbury (included the ramp) are currently open. There is some more work going on there (mostly under the bridge and some resurfacing work) that will have lanes closed near Shrewsbury during off-peak traffic times. Overall, the project will be completed before fall. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communciations

by andrew.gates 7/3/2019 6:19:46 PM
Also, final question before I leave you alone (I promise!). There is significant roadwork on Doughtery Ferry/Forrest between Big Bend and Country Stone Dr. in Valley Park. Do you know how long this is expected to last? Also, are there plans to resurface Country Stone Dr. between Big Bend and Forrest? It's a short stretch but is in awful condition? (Not sure if these are better questions for the Municipal road crews)

by Ryan 7/3/2019 6:22:39 PM
You'll need to contact the City of Valley Park about these issues. David Wrone, St. Louis County

by dwrone 7/3/2019 6:22:39 PM
At Big Bend and couch the eastbound big bend seems to have a left turn cycle but no left turn arrow on the physical light

by logical.roger 7/3/2019 6:28:14 PM
I'll forward this to our signals group. Thanks for sharing the info. David Wrone, St. Louis County

by dwrone 7/3/2019 6:28:14 PM
I suggest you look in it again, the ramp going south on I-44 is not open and has been and still in construction. The exit ramp to Shrewsbury(Exit 283) on I-44 West is open. Getting off of Shewsbury to go East on I-44 is not open and is still detoured to Big bend.

by Biggums 7/3/2019 6:39:00 PM
This just came from the camera at Shrewsbury -- the ramp to get onto EB I-44 is open (the car at the very right of the shot came from the ramp. ) They may have closures during off-peak hours as part of lane shifts, but the ramp is open. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by andrew.gates 7/3/2019 6:39:01 PM
At 44 and Berry, why does the light turn red for cars that traveling north on Berry and for the cars turning onto 44 East? Makes no sense to have both lanes with a red light at the same time.

by crestwooddriver 7/3/2019 7:03:32 PM
That is an issue with the signal controller that our traffic engineers have been trying to create a fix for. They are still working on it. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communication

by andrew.gates 7/3/2019 7:03:33 PM
Any plans to add an extra lane on 44 WB from 141 to Beaumont? There is a hill between those two exits that tends to congest the highway in all three lanes. Even the left lane becomes very clogged. There's already an extra lane added in the EB direction near Beaumont, but it seems like WB needs an extra lane as well.

by A 7/3/2019 7:04:19 PM
We have no plans, or funding identified, for adding any extra lane on westbound I-44 there at this time. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by andrew.gates 7/3/2019 7:04:20 PM
Thanks for joining us, everyone!

by Beth O'Malley 7/3/2019 7:08:08 PM

Live Chats

Ask the Road Crew

Is your route to work giving you a headache because of potholes, poorly timed lights or street construction? Let the experts know, and ask them your questions about highways and roads. The live chat starts at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3.

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