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, Dec. 4.
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A couple weeks ago I asked about improved signage on the PSB to help make it clear that all lanes are through, not just the two left lanes. Has anything been decided? Just a few days after I asked last time, that tragic accident where the semi hit the barrier and killed the little girl from Texarkana happened. New signage is desperately needed before this happens again, and it will. The signage was better before the PSB was redone last year or the year before. Just last night, the car behind me about was pushed by a semi into the same barrier (semi suddenly tried to merge at last minute with no turn signal) where the tragic accident happened. The trucker was forced to stay in the two right lanes and immediately slowed down because they clearly had no idea what they were going to do to turn around...which slowed down the traffic behind them during evening rush), because they thought they missed their exit. Please get MODOT to replace the signage. Almost all truck traffic EB comes from I-55/I-44 rather than I-64, which exasperates the multiple lane changes to get in the 2 left lanes, with some semis trying to merge across 3 lanes of traffic during the length of the PSB (if they get on from the right lane of the two lane entrance ramp from I-55/I-44). Not only is it a hindrance to traffic flow, it's also extremely unsafe and not at all needed. Thank you! -
I did pass your concern along to our team overseeing the roadways in the city (including the PSB). They informed me that the overhead guide signs on the bridge are established by the national Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). This location is complex given some of the characteristics: it’s the junction of two interstates (I-55 and I-64) which then connects to a third interstate (I-70), complex interchange design, traffic volumes, greater truck percentages, five lanes wide, exit only lane drops, multiple exits and sign spacing and truss loading limitations all within approximately a half mile going across the bridge. I will share your additional thoughts with them -- I am told that we are working with IDOT and Missouri Federal Highway Administration to review. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications -
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I've passed along your pothole concern to our maintenance team. As our older overhead message boards reach the end of their useable life and we replace them, we will be putting in newer ones similar to the one on I-64 at Spoede. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications
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Two part question / comment: 1) There is a growing pothole in the left lane of the southbound ramp from 364 E to 270 S. It's definitely gotten much larger over the recent week and is now more than just a "tire popper". And 2) Why are area roads so badly patched by utility companies?!I get that it's up to each local governing body to hold them accountable, but how is not expected that they repave roads (either entirely or at least give them a clean veneer of asphalt) and not just quickly patch up their trenches and holes, which always results in sunken sections or endlessly bumpy roads. I haven't experienced this level of terrible road patching by utilities in any other major city.
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I have shared your concern on the pothole with our maintenance team. Often times, when a utility has to make a repair, they also need to ensure that the repair holds -- they typically will put in a temporary patch until they have verified that the repair meets their standards, and they are able to issue a contract for roadway repairs to bring the roadway back to its original condition. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications
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I'm not sure how you would go about it, but I think a public service message is needed - I saw a lot of drivers out in the rain the last few weeks counting on daytime running lights/automatic headlights who don't realize that many of those systems don't turn on the taillights which are probably even more important than headlights in bad weather.
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We do regularly remind drivers during inclement weather that if their wipers are on, their headlights need to be on (both on social media and on our overhead boards). We'll see what we can do about including the information you highlight. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications
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We were able to reopen the ramp to traffic last week before Thanksgiving to help ease the flow of traffic out of the area for the Guns and Hoses event. We had a little extra work that had to be completed before the project was fully complete -- mostly Monday, yesterday and today during the day, although we do have to close it tonight after 7 p.m. to do some work over the tracks. We still have to seal a portion of the ramp, and that is supposed to happen during the day Friday (and possibly Saturday). Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications
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We have a project that will start next year that will make some adjustments in the area -- including providing full access on and off the interstate between 22nd Street and Jefferson -- as a part of work to improve access to the new NGA facility. You can see more details here:Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications
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Underground utility relocation has taken some time to complete but is expected to be done by January. Pavement construction is scheduled to begin in April of 2020 with construction complete by the end of 2020. Additional project information, as well the project manager with the city (if you have additional questions) can be found at this link: https://www.stcharlescitymo.gov/645/West-Clay-Rehabilitation -
Yesterday, there was a state trooper that pulled over someone in the construction zone at 270/44. People had to slow up and merge into the center lane because of the officer. In addition, people in the left lane also had to merge into the center lane due to the lane closure. This caused major problems and backed up traffic significantly. By 7 am, traffic was backed up past 141 and by 8am or so, it was backed up to Antire due to accidents. Is there a policy with pulling people over in bad areas or during rush hour? I know people should not be speeding, but pulling people over sometimes results in shockwaves that cause major accidents.
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Law enforcement doesn't work for the department, so we cannot speak to their policies for when and where they pull vehicles over, and I don't have the details on this situation -- the individual in question may have had car trouble in a very inconvenient area. We do discourage stopping in areas where it is not safe, and try to get our emergency response crews out as quickly as possible when we do have situations where traffic is congested, and we have a vehicle stopped in, or near traffic.. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications
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As they often are in the course of road improvement projects, the traffic-detecting sensors for both intersections were damaged during our ongoing work on Big Bend between Manchester and Delmar. These signals will continue to "ghost" cycle until the final layer of new pavement is put down and new sensors installed. (The sensors are embedded in the pavement itself.) Unfortunately, this likely won't happen until next spring. David Wrone, St. Louis County -
There's a steel plate in the right lane of northbound Laclede Station road just north of Watson (by the defunct White Castle) that's been there for weeks, if not a couple of months.
Any idea when that will be removed? Can a utility just put a hole in the road indefinitely? -
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This is a bit convoluted, but here goes. On Burrword Dr (at Lucas-Hunt), there is a gated entrance to an apartment complex (probably 100-200 feet or so from Lucas-Hunt). During the early morning (6-ish), when a car exits the complex through the gate, traffic at Lucas-Hunt is immediately stopped in both directions. In any other intersection, the car would have to pull to the intersection and come to a complete stop before the detectors would cycle the lights, but this happens when the car is a good distance from the lights, suggesting something about the gate action is triggering the light. Is this a known thing? Is it expected? It would be a lot more tolerable if any significant portion of exiting traffic needed the lights to turn onto Lucas-Hunt, but most cars are simply making a right to access 70, which they could easily do after a simple stop on red.
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I know this question has been asked before - but are there any plans to reinstate the reversible express lanes on 70 based on peak times, rather than only one direction? I know the entrance to the lanes was taken out by the bridge construction, would love to see the lanes eventually lead to/from the bridge or even just to downtown in both directions.
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I second the first comment today about the unsafe situation the signage on the Poplar Street Bridge creates. With nearly 100% occurrence, semis slam on their brakes at the split and cut over to the left lanes needlessly. I have seen far too many close calls just in the last few months as a result.
Also, what's the timing on the Meramec river bridge shift? And when will specific road plans for the I270 north project become available? -
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As I said, we are talking with FHWA and IDOT about the signing on the Interstate 64/55 bridge over the Mississippi River. At this time, we are looking at the shift to move eastbound traffic onto the westbound bridge at the Meramec River Bridge project sometime late this year or early next year (depending on weather). We are still in the process of signing the contract with the design-build project contractor. We will have some public outreach with more specifics of the project soon -- but at this time, when that will be, exactly, hasn't been determined. You can see more at the web page:Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications
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On Watson at the west end of Makenzie Point Shopping Center the light has been cycling for some weeks now so that it only changed if someone was exiting the plaza. Now this results in traffic backing up on Watson in both directions as the light changes for ghost traffic. This happens no matter the time of the day, day of the week, etc. Can this be looked into?
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I would contact the city of St. Charles with that issue. https://www.stcharlescitymo.gov/179/Public-Works
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Thank you for your kind remarks. We expect to have the entire $3.58 million project completed by next spring/summer. When work is finished, three miles of Big Bend - from Manchester north to Delmar - will be entirely resurfaced, in addition to sporting new curb and sidewalk where needed, and many dozens of wheelchair-accessible curb ramps. David Wrone, St. Louis County
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You don't talk about specifics, so it is hard to address any specific concerns. However, as weather permits, we have crews out sweeping/picking up portions of the more than 6,000 miles of shoulder we have in the area -- it takes us roughly a month to make one full circuit through the region. We also have adopt a highway teams, and sponsor a highway crews out picking up debris. Once we go through, it often doesn't take long before debris starts accumulating again. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications
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Steve H, I am checking with our maintenance team to see if they have any insight on this plate. Typically, if the utility has to make a repair to utilities running under the roadway, they make those repairs as quickly as they can, and then place a plate or temporary patch over the repair until they can get a contractor on board to return the roadway back to its original condition. Andrew Gates, MODOT Communications
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