Chat with the Road Crew, 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 6
Wondering about road work? Ask the experts your questions about highways and roads. The live chat starts at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6.
-
-
-
As light night's shooting in Webster Groves illustrates, it's sometimes necessary to shut down Interstate highways for various emergencies. In areas where there is no obvious parallel route or outer road, has any thoughts been given to erecting directional / detour signage similar to that on US 61 south of I-270, down to Jefferson County?
Even for many local drivers, to say nothing of out-of-state drivers, being forced to exit from I-44, in the County, especially at night, requires either local knowledge or a good GPS to know / figure out where they should go to get back on the freeway. -
Unplanned interstate closures happen . In St. Louis County and the city of St. Louis, it can be difficult to know where those closures might be and which alternate routes would be the best for any given closure. The options for any potential closure are really to numerous to count. Because of this, we do not sign for alternate routes in St. Louis County or the city of St. Louis. However, we often do share suggested alternates on the overhead message boards during closures. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications
-
I've recently noticed at Jeffco Blvd (US 61/67) and Richardson Rd in Arnold that a red arrow was installed in the place of the red ball on the right southbound through lane. The arrow is pointing up (↑), just like how a green one is used for straight only movements. The left through lane still has a red ball.
Is this something new that MoDOT is now doing, or was this possibly a mistake made by the signal crew replacing a burnt out red ball? I will say that the red arrow is noticeably dimmer than the red ball next to it. -
We have found that red or green arrows are more intuitive than red or green balls. Typically, we will use them, where appropriate, when we are upgrading (or repairing) a signal, but don't use them for through indications. We will check this out to make sure that everything is correct. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications
-
Mr. Wilson,
I finally got a chance to see Broadway and Osceola Street. It is working perfectly. Thank you very much.
You asked me to report any other signals with detection issues. Here's a few for you. Chippewa St at Creighton Dr, Chippewa St at Macklind Av, and Hampton and Eichelberger avenues.
Thanks again. -
-
-
-
Mr. Gates,
If I'm not mistaken, the MUTCD specifies the use of green balls where opposing traffic has a permissive turn option. Through arrows can be used when the opposing traffic has a protected movement.
That being said, Missouri is of the few states that uses green, yellow or red through arrows, as they are dimmer than a ball (just as Matt stated). I travel for work and many states opt to use a green ball where Missouri uses a through arrow. Even MoDOT will typically replace one set of through arrows with balls in one lane and then use the through arrows in the second lane. I was told by a MoDOT engineer that studies suggest that the elderly, especially, have trouble with the arrow as opposed to a ball. -
-
-
-
-
What’s the holdup on the Franklin-Warren counties Missouri Bridge m, why hasn’t the pedestrian walkway/Link to Katy Trail been finished? It’s been almost four years since you started on it. And I understand the citizens of Washington have already paid for most of the bridge and are waiting to repaid.
-
Flooding was a major issue preventing us from completing the connections for the shared used path on the Warren County side of the bridge. It looks like we should be able to get back out in the next week to begin final grading and trail construction. If everything goes as planned we should be finished on the Warren County side in the next couple months which will allow us to open the shared use path across the bridge. We also have to remove the rock causeway on thee Franklin County side under the bridge that includes removing the rock causeway that extends out into the river along with River dike restoration. We should be done this summer, barring any additional flooding. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications
-
-