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Questions about traffic lights or highway construction? Ask the Road Crew, 1 p.m.

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.

3rd & 7 37yd

Happy Holidays and thanks for hosting these chats. Last week when exiting I-44 eastbound at Lafayette, I noticed that a homeless encampment has sprung up on the median between the I-44 offramp and the I-55 onramp. I believe that it is now illegal to camp on state-owned property, correct? The site was strewn with trash and I suspect that it will grow if left unchecked. Can MODOT work with the City to secure permanent housing for these folks, especially now that cold temperatures are coming? Note: I tried to report this last week, but the chat never opened.

by Area Driver 12/21/2022 2:02:50 PM
Thank you. MoDOT does work with the city and other agencies to address issues such as this, while ensuring any action respects the people involved. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 12/21/2022 2:02:50 PM
At Bopp and Manchester, can the lights be adjusted for quicker pick up for Bopp/Tallie during off peak hours. It an be a long wait for no cross traffic on Manchester early mornings and late evenings. I've seen more than a few drivers just drive through the light after waiting a minute or more with no cross traffic. Thanks...

by casestudy 12/21/2022 3:13:44 PM
We have a team looking at signal timing during the on-going construction along Manchester. We'll pass this on to them to take a look at it and see what they may be able to do. If you have a more specific time than early mornings, and late evenings (the signals are supposed to run on detection from 8:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. (which means they should change relatively quickly as a new vehicle approaches from Bopp/Tallie). Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 12/21/2022 3:13:45 PM
I use the left turn lane from westbound MO30 onto Delores Drive often. I have timed the cycle of this light. It is currently at 1 minute, 45 seconds and longer during rush hour times. More times than not sitting at this light with no eastbound traffic on Highway 30. This is an awful waste of fuel waiting for this light to change. Sometimes with up to 20 cars waiting. Is there something that can be done to lessen the signal time?

by From last week. 12/21/2022 6:45:32 PM
During rush hours, our goal is to try to give as much time to the route with the most traffic as we can -- in this instance it would be the through traffic on Route 30 -- it wouldn't be unusual to have long waits, especially during rush periods, as there is no way to predict when there would be no traffic coming eastbound. I will pass your observation along to our traffic team for the area to see if there are any tweaks they might be able to make -- it would help if you had specific times that you saw 20 cars backed up. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 12/21/2022 6:45:33 PM
When will MoDOT utilize FHWA Proven Safety Countermeasures | FHWAhttps://highways.dot.gov/safety/proven-safety-countermeasuresOn all of your road projects? When will MoDOT stop using dangerous by design channelized right turn lanes or at least provide raised crosswalks in channelized right turn lanes?

by From last week. 12/21/2022 6:48:36 PM
As appropriate, MoDOT considers and uses safety best practices that have been identified by DOTs across the country on projects. Due to the general high levels of traffic on most MoDOT-maintained routes, the department does not incorporate raised pavement along the roadways it maintains. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications.

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 12/21/2022 6:48:37 PM
For the city: as a resident, I find it exasperating to encounter one new "speed hump" after another, while significant potholes in the same neighborhoods remain unfilled - many, many months after they've been reported.

Can you explain this seeming lack of proper prioritizing?

Thanks - and happy holidays to the "crew".

by reasonrules 12/21/2022 6:52:08 PM
Thanks for bringing this concern to my attention. Speed humps are installed by private contractors via contracts from Board of Public Service. Potholes are repaired by Street Maintenance crews via citizen complaints or work orders...Larry Tyler / Streets & Traffic Liaison

by Street Department 12/21/2022 6:59:30 PM
I really appreciate the repair and resurfacing of the St Charles Rock Road (MO 180) between the inner-belt 170 and Pennsylvania. The only question is why are the manhole covers in the roadway so depressed from the rest of the pavement. It would seem that several of the manholes have depressed after the final surface was placed. Would someone please look into this.

by From last week. 12/21/2022 7:00:07 PM
After a roadway has been resurfaced, some of the utility covers need to get spacers so the cover is closer to the roadway. I am checking with the construction team to see if this is scheduled to be completed by the utility company. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 12/21/2022 7:00:08 PM
Hi, as a city resident, I'm amazed (and appalled) at how few speed limit signs are posted on our major streets - notably Broadway, 4th Street, Hampton, Skinker, Kingshighway....I could go on. These streets are plagued by excessive speeding, and having speed limit signs in place would seem to be the least we can do, perhaps a tiny first step toward a solution. What gives, and what else s being done to reduce rampant speeding on our city streets? People are dying. Thanks!

by Nicole B. 12/21/2022 7:07:11 PM
Thank you for bringing this concern to my attention. I'll personally cruise the aforementioned right of ways to check for proper signage. Also, human behavior is a major factor of speeding throughout the area...Larry Tyler / Streets & Traffic Liaison

by Street Department 12/21/2022 7:10:55 PM
I-270 to I-44 WB - are there any plans to replace the Watson Road exit sign? I thought that the plan was to replace it either as a part of the bridge project or along with all the other signs? Thanks! goo.gl

by Jimmy Z 12/21/2022 7:11:33 PM
We have a project next year to replace signs along the I-270 corridor -- Any remaining signs that need to be replaced along that corridor should be addressed during that project. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 12/21/2022 7:11:34 PM
When is Bayless Ave going to be resurfaced?

by Debbie 12/21/2022 7:21:29 PM
Bayless, from Union to Lemay Ferry Road, will be resurfaced next spring or summer. Our contractor began work on the project this fall, but with the inevitable onset of winter, progress on the job will soon slow significantly. David Wrone, St. Louis County's Department of Transportation

by dwrone 12/21/2022 7:21:31 PM
Thank you. There are two more locations, from NB I-270 to EB I-44 that aren't quite as bad - goo.gl and goo.gl My previous question also had the direction wrong, it's from SB I-270 to EB (not WB) I-44 where the Watson Road sign is in the worst condition.

by Jimmy Z 12/21/2022 7:22:58 PM
Thanks -- we've had a team out reviewing all the signs along I-270 for that project. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 12/21/2022 7:22:59 PM
Could the traffic signals at Big Bend and Sulphur Spring Road be looked at. It seems like the detection cameras aren't working. I'll be heading north on Sulphur Spring turning left onto Big Bend and even though there is no traffic (I notice this around 11pm), I'll have to wait a minute or two for the lights to cycle. They used to cycle much faster when there isn't traffic so I wonder if the detection devices aren't working properly. Thank you!

by Tom 12/21/2022 7:42:20 PM
I'll forward your report to our signals group for investigation. Thanks for sharing your observation. David Wrone, St. Louis County Department of Transportation

by dwrone 12/21/2022 7:42:22 PM
Any idea why the center lane (right thru lane) on Forest Park Parkway west of Kingshighway is shut down, when the same lane immediately east of Kingshighway is open? It results in a lot of backup in the one thru lane, plus people getting in the right turn lane, then driving straight through the intersection to the open lane.

by fpp 12/21/2022 7:46:51 PM
Thank you for bringing this concern to my attention. Presently I'm waiting for an initial report and repair plan for this location. Hopefully the pending snow event is limited so crews can move forward with repairs...Larry Tyler / Streets & Traffic Liaison

by Street Department 12/21/2022 7:50:58 PM