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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

After my comment two months ago, no one has bothered replacing the dozen or so burnt out lights on the walls the depressed section of highway downtown. The highway was even closed for a whole weekend with the demolition of the Broadway bridge, yet no one bothered.

Just leave the lights out so that visitors can't see the trash, car bumpers, saplings growing out of the median and sewers, and tire treads that pervasively litter the area. You'd think a more concerted effort would be given to clean up our region's "front porch."

by Nikola Tesla 3/2/2022 6:28:32 PM
I have shared this with our maintenance team -- I believe we may be waiting on the specialized lights for that area. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 3/2/2022 6:28:32 PM
There is a big tire wide sized pothole on the Murdoch Ave Bridge over I-44. I believe it was fixed a month or so ago but the recent weather has ruined the patch. If someone could please fix that as soon as possible, lots of people swire around it crossing into the opposing lanes it to avoid it.

by Rob 3/2/2022 6:54:03 PM
We've passed that along to our maintenance team. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 3/2/2022 6:54:27 PM
Can you send out a crew to River Des Peres? There are so many huge potholes. Southbound from Lansdowne to Morganford and northbound from Gravois to Lansdowne.
Thanks!

by DivideByZero 3/2/2022 6:56:23 PM
Thank you for bringing this concern to my attention. I'll submit repair request to Street Maintenance...Larry Tyler - Street & Traffic Liaison

by Street Department 3/2/2022 6:59:44 PM
Is there an updated schedule for when the Big Bend bridge will be closed over I-44?

by Jimmy Z 3/2/2022 7:01:46 PM
Right now, we are looking at that happening the second weekend of April. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 3/2/2022 7:01:46 PM
On the other Big Bend bridge over I-44 (closer to Elm) there are several good-sized potholes that look to be MODOT's responsibility (not the County's) especially on the south side.

by Jimmy Z 3/2/2022 7:03:06 PM
We can certainly have our maintenance team take a look at that. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 3/2/2022 7:03:07 PM
Any news on the Olive-Lindbergh project?

by Todd 3/2/2022 7:03:53 PM
Nothing new at this time. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 3/2/2022 7:03:54 PM
Good Afternoon,

i drive all the major interstates in the area each week and the one thing i've noticed and we should be ashamed of ourselves as a society and as a state is I-70 in STL city and county is way trashier than all the other interstates in the area. Lots and lots of debris in the median and lots of trash on the shoulder and in the grassy areas. I'm not sure why this area has more than others, perhaps it's the people driving there just don't care, clean up crews & lawn crews aren't doing their jobs or doing it often enough or they are doing enough and it just happens more often than other interstates.

But really it doesn't matter, any layman driving i-70 from downtown to I-270 and vice versa tell a difference between all the other interstates. Perhaps this stretch of interstate needs more TLC than others.

by Dave 3/2/2022 7:09:11 PM
Trash is, of course. challenging to keep on top of, as we often see trash back on the roadway within hours after our crews go through an area. During the winter, our focus is, of course, upon making sure the roadways are treated (as needed) and plowed to ensure that they stay safe, and right now, our big focus has to be on the potholes, as those are issues that can make the roadway less safe for the traveling public. As we get through pothole season, we will certainly make a big "spring-cleaning" type push after the winter season. We are also looking at supplementing our maintenance forces by awarding a contract for roadside trash pickup this year to help make the roadways look better. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Coimmunications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 3/2/2022 7:09:12 PM
Thanks for the responses!

by Jimmy Z 3/2/2022 7:09:31 PM
You are welcome! Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 3/2/2022 7:09:32 PM
To STL City, isn't it time to clean up Germania Ave., especially between 55 and Lemay Ferry? The dips in pavement, the unmarked (and needless) medians that are hazards at night, the broken sidewalk fence west of 55, pressing the railroad about addressing the awful crossing, etc.

by Nikola Tesla 3/2/2022 7:11:54 PM
Thank you for bringing this concern to my attention. I just drove the area and took notes of issues of concern. Spoke to Contractor working on River Des Peres and ask them to address excessive dust in right of way...Larry Tyler - Street & Traffic Liaison

by Street Department 3/2/2022 7:15:41 PM
I'm guessing that this is a local enforcement issue, but what is the law about stopping and waiting to turn into a curb cut? Yesterday, I ran into a situation where a lane on Watson, at the St Louis-Shrewsbury line was being blocked by a person waiting to enter the car wash.

by Jimmy Z 3/2/2022 7:16:24 PM
Thank you bringing this concern to my attention. Yes, this is a local enforcement issue. Will continue to monitor...Larry Tyler - Street & Traffic Liaison

by Street Department 3/2/2022 7:17:50 PM
The street/ interstate lighting in metro east Interstate highways has been inoperable for years. This problem is especially bad at the 1-55/70 interchange with I-255 in the Collinsville corridor. I have addressed this safety concern to IDOT but nothing has changed. Surely I'm not the only one who recognizes this perennial lighting, being completely inoperable and apparently ignored.

by Burford 3/2/2022 7:22:39 PM
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, unfortunately, that would have to be addressed by the Illinois Department of Transportation, who doesn't participate in these chats. You would need to reach back out to them to discuss further. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communciations

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 3/2/2022 7:22:39 PM
Question, why are some roads/streets/interstate/bridges paved and others use concrete and then concrete butted up to pavement? Seems like a lot of issues occur (potholes) where pavement joins concrete. Any reason for instance for example the far left hand lanes of 270 are concrete vs. making them pavement like the rest of the interstate?

by Mark 3/2/2022 7:42:32 PM
A lot of it depends upon the contractor putting it in and the choice that they make. Both asphalt and concrete are viable methods for constructing a roadway, but pricing for them can fluctuate, so contractors can be given the choice of whether they choose asphalt or concrete. Asphalt (as a whole) is generally cheaper than concrete, but concrete tends to last longer and requires less overall maintenance. Those variations are taken into consideration when the department reviews and ranks bids for projects . Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 3/2/2022 7:42:33 PM
I would like to add some information about some of the other posts. First, River Des Peres (southbound) needs attention immediate attention at Gravois. There are so many potholes at that intersection that they cannot be avoided. Also for the bridge over Chippewa, the level of the pavement on the bridge differs from River Des Peres it self so in effect it also like driving over potholes on both ends. Finally, on eastbound Germania at the railroad tracks, the pavement is a problem again. Last time this happened it took the railroad years to fix it. Can you put pressure on them to fix it sooner rather than later? Thanks for all you do!

by Area Driver 3/2/2022 7:51:05 PM
Thank you for the additional information. Concerns will be added to original repair request...Larry Tyler - Street & Traffic Liaison

by Street Department 3/2/2022 7:52:23 PM
When can we expect the sidewalk & repavement project on Mckelvey Road between Smoke Rise Ct. to Creve Cour Mill Rd. to start? Will the road be closed to through traffic only since it is just a 2 lane road?

by Scott 3/2/2022 7:58:13 PM
Scott, I'll post information about this project in next week's Road Crew. David Wrone, St. Louis County's Department of Transportation

by dwrone 3/2/2022 7:58:15 PM
How long will the I-70 Express lanes be closed?

by mtr4216 3/2/2022 7:59:52 PM
It reopens tomorrow for about a week, and then will close again until this fall to allow crews to construct the ramp from the express lanes to Broadway. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 3/2/2022 7:59:52 PM
I have reached out to our maintenance team to find out more information on the sound wall you reference in your signature. They do take a while to construct, so we may be waiting for that process to finish. When I hear more on that, I will share it. Andrew Gates, MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 3/2/2022 8:03:07 PM
An

by Sound barrier on I-64/McCausland missing. Pls fix. 3/2/2022 8:03:07 PM
Did I read correctly that the express lanes will temporarily be supplemented by two added lanes on I-70

by mtr4216 3/2/2022 8:04:52 PM
No. Crews are working to shift and narrow the two existing lanes of westbound I-44 near the Broadway bridge over the interstate. That is so they can work on the ramp from the express lanes to Broadway, There are no plans to add lanes on either I-70 or I-44, temporarily or otherwise. Andrew Gates,. MoDOT Communications

by Andrew Gates, MoDOT 3/2/2022 8:04:52 PM