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Got commuting questions? Ask the Road Crew, 1 p.m. Wednesday

Ask the experts from the Missouri Department of Transportation, St. Louis and St. Charles counties and St. Louis City your questions about highways and roads. The live chat starts at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

3rd & 7 37yd

Kirkwood spent a lot of time and money on its traffic lights and intersections from Big Bend To Manchester. One of the promised improvements was synchronization of lights through its downtown. Months later, it simply isn’t working. Traffic backs up as before the work and with a quick glance down Kirkwood Road, you can see why - green followed by red followed by green, etc. This occurs at all hours on all days and doesn’t seem to be affected by cross traffic Who needs to fix this?

by EWH 9/16/2020 2:02:33 PM
I assume you are speaking about Kirkwood Road. That is maintained by the city of Kirkwood, so you would need to speak to them about their signal timing through Kirkwood. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 9/16/2020 2:02:34 PM
Thank you for hosting these chats. Do you know when the on-ramp from Jefferson to westbound I-44 will open? I seem to recall that the target date was mid-September.

by Area Driver 9/16/2020 3:07:38 PM
That ramp opened last Thursday. Immediately after they opened that ramp, they closed the ramp from westbound I-44 to Jefferson for 30 days. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 9/16/2020 3:07:38 PM
There is a significant pot hole in the right turn lane of the exit from EB I-44 @ Jefferson. I know work is still on-going but if this could be filled in it would prevent a lot of people from swerving into the other lane.

by GregL 9/16/2020 3:17:28 PM
Thanks for the information -- I have asked our construction team to check into it. Andrew Gates,

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 9/16/2020 3:17:29 PM
The Lafayette Ave to I44 WB on ramp has been closed for several weeks with no apparent construction on the ramp itself. Is this only closed due to the ongoing work on I44 @ Jefferson?

by LetsGoGers314 9/16/2020 6:28:33 PM
Yes -- trying to bring traffic on from that ramp with several lanes closed would simply be unsafe. When we complete the project later this year, and reopen the lanes, we should reopen the ramp (as well as the one from Jefferson to EB I-44). Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 9/16/2020 6:28:34 PM
I'm back, with my monthly request to see the lanes striped on eastbound Watson Road, on either side of Rock Hill Road. Missouri American completed a major water main replacement, 5-6 months ago. It took a while, but the asphalt was successfully repaired, at the start of the Summer. Given that colder weather is coming, I'd like to see this addressed before the weather gets to be "too cold"to complete the striping THIS year.

by Jimmy Z 9/16/2020 6:34:12 PM
I know this is on our maintenance team's list of tasks to accomplish, but I haven't heard back from them on where this is, currently, in the schedule. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 9/16/2020 6:34:12 PM
Do any of the transportation entities keep an eye on the areas underneath the major bridges? 64, 70, 370, 364, etc? For example 370 bridge over the Missouri river on the St. Charles side is a disaster. There is so much garbage there. And this is where the new and improved bike path goes by. Others have graffiti and overgrown vegetation as well as the garbage.

by Steve K 9/16/2020 6:36:55 PM
We regularly clean and sweep our roadways (including under bridges). You can always let our team know where you see concerns by contacting our customer service team at (314) 275-1500. That being said, there are potential issues around the region where we may not be able to get to right now because of rules during the pandemic. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 9/16/2020 6:36:57 PM
Mr. Gates,

Another in my recurring complaints about I-55 and Reavis Barracks Road. Westbound drivers turning left on southbound I-55 are given so much time with their green arrow that eastbound drivers who want to turn left onto northbound I-55 aren't getting to the stop bar in time to trigger the left arrow. Is it really necessary for up to 15 vehicles to get a left turn arrow at the expense of eastbound drivers?

Please, either cut down the time that westbound drivers receive or set the eastbound arrow to come on automatically, or move the left arrow for eastbound drivers to a lagging arrow.

by M 9/16/2020 6:39:05 PM
What time are you seeing this? Having that information can help the traffic engineers better track down if there is an issue. Typically, the roadway (or turn) with the most traffic gets the most time. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 9/16/2020 6:39:06 PM
At the eastbound off ramp from I-64 to Oakland Ave on weekday mornings, the timing has ramp traffic waiting for over a minute while Oakland is in green for very light traffic. When the ramp does get green, it doesn't seem to be more than 15 seconds and the ramp doesn't always completely clear in that time as I've waited through two cycles. I'm sure traffic patterns all over the region changed drastically. But with detection cameras all over this intersection I would think it could operate more efficiently.

by Stlcommuter 9/16/2020 6:42:00 PM
I have asked our traffic team to look at this and see what may be able to be done; I imagine, however, that this is set up to work in conjunction with other signals to prevent backups on other roadways. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 9/16/2020 6:42:00 PM
Good afternoon. This is my 3rd attempt to get my comment in on time. There’s a few potholes on Weil Ave along the curb just south of Chippewa St. It is close to a bus stop. This is the section of Weil that is near Schnucks. Thanks.

by Don 9/16/2020 6:44:15 PM
We will take a look at Weil, near Schnucks for potholes - thanks!

by Street Department 9/16/2020 6:44:15 PM
who is responsible for shrewsbury ave at carr lane by the eastbound entrance ramp to hwy 44 ? It is like driving over constant rumble strips and needs to be resurfaced.

by michael j. 9/16/2020 6:49:32 PM
I'll have to check on the maintenance responsibility for this road, and will report back in a future Road Crew. David Wrone, St. Louis County's Department of Transportation

by dwrone 9/16/2020 6:49:32 PM
Also, what is the best way to ask or make a suggestion on an active MoDOT work zone when we see a possibly unsafe situation? For example - not seeing the signs for a lane drop until at the top of a hill, which seems too late ? Thank you for the chat!

by Stlcommuter 9/16/2020 6:53:31 PM
You can call our customer service team at (314) 275-1500 or go online at: https://www.modot.org/work-zone-customer-survey. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 9/16/2020 6:53:33 PM