MoDOT St Louis district

MoDOT launches new, improved Gateway Guide

2011-04-12T11:45:00.000-07:00

It’s been a long time coming, but the new, improved MoDOT Gateway Guide is here.

Now, like many people, when I hear new and improved, my cynical nature kicks in and I wonder if I am going to be the butt of some cosmic marketing joke where someone added a fragrance to some product just so they can say it's "new and improved." Though adding a scratch and sniff element to the MoDOT Gateway Guide website is an interesting thought – perhaps new car? – there’s more to the website’s improvement than a few cosmetic changes.

The biggest change is to the camera views – right now, all 300 cameras are available for viewing on-line. Although every camera can't be on the home page, users can now select the route they want and see all the available cameras. Viewers have the option of viewing a still image or a 60-second live view updated every two seconds. The map for the camera is zoomable, which makes grabbing the camera icons easier and the new highway snapshots gives users a quick view of all the cameras along one roadway.

Another major change is My STL Traffic. This program will allow you to subscribe to a set of roadways between certain times and on certain days to get information on roadway closures on the routes you take to work, to school or on your day to day activities. You can sign up for either e-mail or text alerts, or view information on your mobile phone. You can also be notified if the roadway is completely closed at any time.

Although behind the scenes, another huge improvement is the web site’s compatibility. The old site was optimized for Internet Explorer, so all the people who liked other web browsers had two choices:

1) Use a browser they didn’t care for, or
2) Use their browser, but lose some significant functions (like the minimal zoom function)

About 35 percent of our users chose the second option, using their browser despite the stilted functioning of the website. That, however, is a thing of the past, as the new Gateway Guide is compatible with the other common, popular browsers.

There’s many other improvements to check out on the updated MoDOT Gateway Guide. The new website is updated to give users a better view of the roadways before, or as, they travel to allow them to avoid congestion. This keeps traffic safer and keeps our air cleaner. We’d love to have you take a look and let us know what you think, or what we might be able to improve. Check out the new website, take our survey and tell us what you think. If it’s been a while since you’ve gone to MoDOT Gateway Guide, please give it another try. It’s new and improved, although without the new car smell.

Andrew Gates
MoDOT Community Relations

Posting Travel Times on Arterial Routes

2010-12-07T12:27:00.000-08:00

I work in a few different locations during the week, and I use the overhead message boards (at least when they have travel times) to at least give me an idea of what I can expect on the roadway ahead.

When I am traveling west on I-70 out of the city in the evening, I can tell if there has been a crash on the road ahead long before I hit the city limits. There's a nice overhead message board that tells me how long I can expect to be on the road if I am heading toward I-270. If I see the sign indicating that it's about 25 minutes to I-270, I know there's some slowdown in traffic ahead. Depending on what other information is available (perhaps an crash location or lanes closed ahead) I can even make an early decision to change my route to something that may be a little longer, but will be faster in the long run.

Now, MoDOT is putting that same technology to work on some of the other major roads in the city. Right now, Route 94 in St. Charles has smaller versions of the message boards active and providing travel times betwen I-70 and Route 40. In the next few months, we'll be installing and turning on similar boards on Route 141 and Lindbergh (Route 67).

MoDOT put these boards up at decision points -- major intersecting highways and river crossings at I-70, Route 364 and Route 40/61. Paying attention to the information these signs provide can help drivers make better choices about which roadways or bridges they want to use.

At the least, it gives them the option to decide if they want to spend some time with their fellow travelers in congestion or choose a different route.

Andrew Gates
MoDOT Community Relations

Flashing Yellow Arrows Work Better

2010-07-16T09:34:00.000-07:00

Even as early as kindergarten, I remember reciting the basic traffic rules mantra – “Red means ‘stop,’ green means ‘go.’ Now, although many people, myself included, often believe that yellow means step on the gas, I do still remember the often unmentioned addendum to the mantra – “Yellow means ‘proceed with caution.’

However, paying attention to that mantra was why traffic engineers are starting to embrace the use of the flashing yellow turn signal arrows to let drivers know they can make a yielding left turn. Until recently, most intersections that allowed drivers to turn left in the spaces between on-coming traffic used a round green ball signal with a sign that told drivers to turn left on the green ball. That rule made sense, but it didn’t keep the signals consistent. When the signal was green, you couldn’t “go,” you were supposed to “proceed with caution.”

So as St. Louis started to test these signals (three of them on Olive Boulevard in 2006) and now is installing them in locations around the area (currently, there are a number on Route K in St. Charles county, five more on Olive Boulevard, and a number on Lindbergh Boulevard), the concept made sense to me.

I have seen some comments from local drivers during the introduction of the flashing yellow arrows. They seemed to fall into two categories. 1) people seem to be confused by these signals, and 2) the change is simply because someone wanted to justify their continued existence and adjusted these signals just for the sake of change.

The first part may be somewhat true – as you introduce a new element to the driver, some of them can potentially misinterpret what the flashing yellow arrow means. The second is flat-out wrong. The Federal Highway Administration sponsored a study that showed that the signals were safer, and that more people understood what the flashing yellow arrow meant.
Basically it breaks down this way – the green ball signal with the yield sign is equal to the flashing yellow arrow. The flashing arrow is more intuitive, is safer, and is more consistent with what we teach our youth about traffic signals.

You can find out more information on the flashing yellow arrows at our website. You can also access the Federal Study from that site. We also have a video showing how to drive through a flashing yellow arrow on YouTube.

Andrew Gates
MoDOT Community Relations

Missouri's largest ARRA project starts

2010-03-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, MoDOT and local politicians got together to launch the last section of a project that has been in the works for about 40 years -- the final section of Route 141.

Route 141, between Ladue and Olive Boulevard is still a three lane road (one lane in each direction with a turn lane). Often, during the spring or heavy rainfall, the section of Route 141 there has to be closed due to flooding. Also, anyone who has driven through the area during morning or evening rush hours can expect to be backed up for some time at Parkway Central or as Route 141 goes from a four lane divided highway to a three lane road.

This $44.5 million project is paid for by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money will pull Route 141 above the flood plain and improve the traffic flow on the route. Not only that, but by relocating the new route to the east, a great deal of through traffic from Route 141 (people accessing the Maryland Heights Expressway and Route 364 to St. Charles County) will be removed from a roadway that services two schools, a school bus depot and a number of businesses and subdivisions.

This project will make the roadway safer and move traffic more efficently. Work on the project starts this month and work should be completed by summer 2010.

Saving money, one project at a time

2009-07-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

MoDOT has found a silver lining in the dark cloud of the economic decline. The department has seen a decline of revenue in the past year since people are less likely to drive long distances or buy new vehicles. Since the department relies on gas taxes, registration fees and vehicle taxes for funding to maintain and build roads and bridges.

Fortunately, last fiscal year, in St. Louis, the department saved $33 million in its construction budget -- nearly 24 percent of what was budgeted for the year. These savings will be rolled back into other construction projects -- allowing the department to complete more work for you.

One of the more successful methods of reducing costs is what the department calls practical design. This method takes a look at making sure that transportation projects are fixing specific needs, rather than putting in unneeded "frills." Another extensively used method brings contractors into the design process early to let them propose innovative methods to complete the work. So far, we've seen proposals involving alternate materials, varied designs and revised schedules.

All in all, by aggressively managing projects to get them completed on time and under budget, MoDOT continues to try to meet its commitments to the Missouri taxpayers.

Implementing a Travel Safe Zone

2009-06-17T13:22:00.000-07:00

Monday, MoDOT implemented a Travel Safe Zone on eastbound I-64 between Mason Road and Ballas Road.

MoDOT implements Travel Safe Zones on those stretches of highway that significantly exceed the number of crashes with fatalities or disabling injuries when compared with similar highways with comparable traffic counts. The department uses a formula to determine a crash rate, based on the length of the stretch of highway, the number of crashes and the daily traffic on that highway.

In this case, there were 443 crashes over the last three years on eastbound I-64 in this area, including 180 crashes in 2008. Of those 443 crashes in the past three years, there were nine major crashes. In those nine major crashes, there were four fatalities and 33 people who received disabling injuries. Additionally, 295 of the 443 crashes were rear-end crashes, primarily during the day when the road was dry and the sky was clear. This tends to indicate excessive speed along the route, or distracted driving.

One of the public concerns we have heard about the Travel Safe Zone is that it is at the request of the local municipalities to increase their revenues. This is completely false – MoDOT initiated the Travel Safe Zone and MoDOT gets NO money from traffic tickets written along state routes. This is truly a safety issue. Our hope is to have people increase their safety awareness in this area, slow down and pay attention.

Currently, this Travel Safe Zone will remain in operation for a year.

Variable Speed Limits – What’s the deal?

2009-05-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

MoDOT is currently in a two-year study on the use and effectiveness of Variable Speed Limits (where traffic engineers raise and lower the speed limits based on how fast traffic is moving). Since the project was implemented in May 2008, the department has surveyed drivers and collected speed data. The media is reporting on preliminary findings of that survey (which include the fact that at this point, law enforcement and drivers are not convinced of its effectiveness).

As one of the people sitting in on developing the criteria for the study, I have to admit that this was completely expected. One of the items I hoped to see as part of the study was a change in public opinion through the two-year project. This is a brand-new idea to the St. Louis area -- using variable speeds to manage the volume of traffic flow through congested areas is completely new, and people don’t like change they don’t completely understand.

This early data from this study helps MoDOT determine what it’s doing correctly and what it isn’t. For instance, one of the big areas that drivers and law enforcement both stress is that they don’t believe the public is as informed as they need to be about how variable speed limits work. That’s a great point, and something that MoDOT (and I) need to look at. So – we have a website that talks about how the project works, we have a flyer that we handed out, and we’ve put spots in the media. What else do you suggest? I’ll consider any reasonable request (especially if it’s cheap (since we are a state agency.))

Congratulations to new journeyman graduates

2009-04-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted out here, and it's been a busy month. However, that is no excuse for not sharing through our blog format.

However, I got some news recently that I think is fantastic (and not just because I have to say that since I am a spokesperson for MoDOT.)

The I-64 project is about setting new methods of achieving goals, and looking for ways that we, as a community, can get the right things done. And though it may not be as celebrated as reopening half of the roadway on time, I think the I-64 team has just reached another important goal.

As you may remember, we helped train a number of socially or economically disadvantaged individuals in pre-apprentice programs and then get apprenticeship training on the I-64 project. The first five have completed their apprenticeships and are now journeymen (or should that be journeypersons...?) Although I didn't work through the construction industry, I was in the military, and I know how I felt after about four years of hard work when I officially completed an apprenticeship. These five people (two carpenters, a mason, and two laborers) have every reason to be proud of their efforts.

We have 12 more people who should complete their requirements for journeyman status before the end of the I-64 project. Congratulations to the recent journeyman graduates and good luck in the future!

You can read more at our website.

Andrew Gates

Roads are much improved, thanks to taxpayers

2009-03-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

Taypayers can thank their efforts, primarily through voting for Amendment 3, for the increase in the number of major roads that are in good condition. Across the state, the Missouri Department of Transportation has invested the taxpayer money entrusted to the department in making major roads smoother. Since 2004, the percentage of major roads across Missouri which are now in good condition has increased 36 percent. In the St. Louis area, conditions of major roads in the area, which include Interstates 70, 64/40, 44, 270, 55, 170 and Routes 30, 21 and 364 (the Page Extension) have increased from 53.6 percent in good condition in 2004 to 84.6 percent in good condition in 2008.

Other organizations have noticed the better roads, as well. Truck drivers voted Missouri roads as the fifth best in the nation in a survey published in January by Overdrive magazine, a publication serving the commercial motor carrier industry. The Reason Foundation listed Missouri as among the nation’s leaders in maintaining its transportation system and getting good value, and the Pew Center on the States gave Missouri a B+ for its infrastructure performance.

MoDOT is continuing to use available money to improve roadways. Better Roads, Brighter Future is making the remainder of major highways smoother with wider stripes and more visible signs. The Safe and Sound Bridge Improvement program is repairing or replacing 802 of the state's worst bridges by 2014.

Commission approves nine Recovery Act projects for St. Louis

2009-03-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission approved using American Recovery and Rivitalization Act (ARRA) funding for nine projects in the St. Louis metropolitan area, pending approval from the East-West Gateway Council of Governments. These projects, totalling $173 million, should create about 5,900 jobs throughout the region. All projects were determined in conjection with MoDOT's regional partners (to include municipal and county leadership) and meet the requirements for being ready to go. All projects in the region were selected from projects recommended for priority implementation in the region's long-range transportation plan. View the list of approved projects here.

MoDOT is spending more than $525 million of ARRA funding throughout Missouri. Additionally, the state will spend roughly $151 million on other rail, aviation and transit projects, $19 million on enhancement projects and $93 million on county and municipal road projects in St. Louis, Kansas City and the Ozarks.

Planning to revitalize the economy

2009-03-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

Last night, the Missouri Department of Transportation outlined the draft list of projects slated for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 money. The money Missouri received for roads and bridges work is roughly 1½ percent of the entire amount required to fully meet the transportation infrastructure needs across the state.

There are specific rules for a project to be selected for ARRA money. Half of the projects have to be able to be under contract before June 30 – the rest have to be under contract before March 2, 2010. They have to be completed within three years and have to be in areas that are economically distressed and have to maximize job creation after the project is completed.

The projects outlined in the draft list included nine in the St. Louis area. The major projects in the St. Louis draft list have been on the regional long-range planner for many years. All the projects on the list have been coordinated and discussed with our municipal and county partners throughout the Greater Metropolitan area. You can view the entire list here.

MoDOT activates first traffic cameras in Jefferson County

2009-02-02T11:35:00.001-08:00

Jefferson County drivers along Interstate 55 can now get a better look at their commute, as the Missouri Department of Transportation activated five traffic cameras along the interstate in the county. Drivers can view these cameras, as well as other newly activated cameras along I-55 in south St. Louis County at GatewayGuide.com.
Using the new cameras, drivers can make informed decisions about their commute before they leave work or home. MoDOT can also better monitor traffic conditions and detect incidents such as crashes or congestion on I-55. That information will help the department report conditions on roadways around St. Louis on overhead message boards, Gateway Guide.com and on MoDOT’s 5-1-1 traffic information number. If an incident does occur, MoDOT can dispatch crews to help with traffic control and road clearance, and relay information to the Missouri Highway Patrol.

A hope for saving lives

2009-01-20T06:41:00.000-08:00

There's no simple or sugar-coated way to put it: people die on the roadways. Although Missouri has worked hard to reduce those numbers (and done so successfully), there is sill a simple way to save about 10 percent of the people who die on Missouri roadways -- incorporating a primary safety belt law.

This year, MoDOT is working with legislators to get a primary safety belt law passed in Missouri. Increasing safety belt use is the most effective and immediate way to save lives and reduce injuries on Missouri roads. Of more than 500 Missouri traffic laws, the current safety belt law is the only one that has a secondary enforcement provision - a driver must break another law first before they can be cited for a safety belt violation.

MoDOT estimates that we can save more than 90 lives and prevent more than 1,000 serious injuries each year by passing a primary safety belt law. To do this, we need your help. Find out how Missouri can save more lives each year here.

Traffic flow on I-270/I-255

2009-01-12T06:57:00.000-08:00

MoDOT is currently doing a study on some of the recent changes to move traffic along I-270 and I-255 in St. Louis, primarily the Variable Speel Limit project. As part of that study, the department is looking for people to take a short survey to determine how effective these traffic changes are. Provide your opinion on traffic flow on the I-270/I-255 loop in Missouri by going here. This survey will remain open until the end of the study, in mid-2010. However, by putting information in now, and as the study continues, drivers in St. Louis can give their input on any improvement (or lack thereof) on traffic flow on St. Louis' busiest interstate.

What to know before you go

2009-01-12T06:47:00.000-08:00

In St. Louis, MoDOT has more than 80 projects currently programmed to start in the next year. Some are fairly basic -- resurfacing jobs, putting in barriers and the like -- and will have minimal to no impact on traffic. Others are bigger -- such as the I-64 reconstruction between I-170 and Kingshighway. These projects will have major impact on traffic, requiring detours and extra time to get around the construction. To find out what is planned in your area for the next year, check out the 2009 St. Louis construction map. You can see it on-line here. It is in a pdf format and runs about 635 Kb.

Top 10 construction zones for 2009

2009-01-02T10:55:00.001-08:00

MoDOT has announced the 10 projects in the St. Louis metropolitan region which will have the biggest impact on traffic in the region. These projects are all programmed (which means they are funded).

Of course, the biggest project is the reconstruction of I-64 between Kingshighway and I-170. Other projects include bridgework along I-44, and resurfacing on various roadways. Click here to see the entire list.

The I-64 Flip

2008-12-15T14:33:00.000-08:00

This weekend, crews flipped the construction closure on Interstate 64 through the heart of St. Louis city. Crews closed the eastern five miles of the interstate this weekend to construct the new I-64, while opening the western half of the project two weeks ahead of schedule.

To manage traffic during this flip, as drivers through the city are learning which routes are the best for their daily commutes, the Missouri Department of Transportation in conjunction with traffic experts from St. Louis County and St. Louis City, have been operating a command center to watch for trouble spots during the early part of the eastern closure.

Traffic flow on the first day was impacted a bit by icy weather that rolled through St. Louis just before the Monday morning rush period. Although traffic during the day was relatively light due to the weather, it moved along smoothly.

The start of designing something big

2008-12-05T11:20:00.001-08:00

Engineers have been hard at work designing the Mississippi River Bridge, the $640 million river crossing which will begin construction in 2010. The design team, which is co-located in Laclede's Landing near the Mississippi River, has prequalified four contractor teams to bid on the cable stay portion of the bridge.

This prequalification means these contractors teams have the experience, leadership and capability available (within the team) to complete the complex work required to construct the new river bridge. It also means that these contractor teams will be able to work with the MRB team to develop confidential and individualized proposals using the latest advances in construction technology. This innovative method to reduce costs will allow Missouri and Illinois to get the best possible bid late next year as the two states prepare for the construction of this greatly-needed project.

Safe and Sound Set to Begin in the St. Louis Region

2008-11-14T10:11:00.000-08:00

The Missouri Department of Transportation will begin improving 802 of the state’s most worn out bridges this winter. All 802 bridges will be improved by the end of October 2014.

In the St. Louis region, there are 23 bridges that will either be rehabbed or replaced. Five are in Franklin County, twelve in Jefferson County, five in St. Louis County and one in St. Charles County.

At its November meeting, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission awarded approximately $1.47 million to the lowest bidder for bridge rehabilitation on five Safe and Sound bridges in Jefferson County. Work will start in December 2008.

Click here for more details on the initial five bridges.

Safe and Sound signs have been posted on all St. Louis area bridges designated for rehab or replacement.

A complete list of all the bridges in the Safe and Sound Bridge Improvement Program and other information can be found on the MoDOT Web site.

Moving along with the big projects

2008-10-16T11:16:00.001-07:00

Even despite the rainy spring weather, Gateway Constructors are a bit ahead of schedule on work on the west half of I-64. Right now, the team intends on being able to switch traffic onto the new section of highway sometime between the end of November and the end of December.

Of course, at the same time, the east end of the I-64 project will close. That means that people who use the east end of the I-64 project (between I-170 and Kingshighway) will need to start making sure they are aware of, and testing, their alternate routes around the region. There will be no point when both the east and the west half of the project are open at the same time (the roadway has shifted a bit, and there is a concrete plant that is in the middle of the lanes). MoDOT is planning to have some event that will allow people to walk, bike or run on the new lanes before opening it up to driving traffic, but details on that event are still being determined.

For more information on the I-64 work, and the completion of the west half, click here.

When is a good week to close a major bridge?

2008-09-22T08:17:00.001-07:00

The Missouri Department of Transportation is planning to close the westbound Daniel Boone Bridge this weekend (on I-64/Route 40) between St. Louis and St. Charles counties for its annual inspection. At the same time, crews will complete an additional inspection based on Federal Highway Administration findings from the river bridge in Minneapolis that collapsed last year. Although it is inconvenient, to say the least, to close a major river bridge, this is work that has to be done. It had to be done on a weekend (to minimize the impact on traffic), and it had to be done at a time when there wasn't a major event in St. Charles County or further west which might draw traffic along the route.

To pick a date, the department considered all upcoming weekends. Since Mizzou has a bye week this week and the winery tours aren't yet in full swing, this week was as good as we could pick to complete this inspection. There are sure to be other events which will be impacted -- however, the posted detour will get drivers to their destination. If you know the area, you can also take other routes to get to St. Charles County and beyond.

For more details on the closure, click here.

The Battle for teenaged drivers

2008-09-16T07:34:00.000-07:00

For the third year in a row, the Missouri Department of Transportation is conducting "Battle of the Belt" -- a challenge to encourage high-school students to buckle-up whenever they are in a vehicle. More than 80 percent of the Missouri teens who are killed in crashes were not wearing a seatbelt.

During Battle of the Belt, students conduct two seat-belt checks during the two-month campaign -- one at the beginning of the Battle of the Belt and one at the end. The Missouri school which has the highest overall seat belt use and the one who has the most improved seatbelt usage are both given a cash prize from the Battle of the Belt's sponsor. Additionally, the top schools in each region for overall and most improved seatbelt use also receive prizes. This year, Pattonville High School in St. Louis defends its state "championship" for overall seatbelt usage. For more, visit the Arrive Alive website.

What's on your mind?

2008-09-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

Here is your opportunity to ask questions about MoDOT projects in the St. Louis Region, or to get information on MoDOT transportation issues in St. Louis. Post a question and we'll respond to it.

Drilling in the mighty Mississippi

2008-09-08T07:42:00.000-07:00

Crews are starting some significant design research for the Mississippi River Bridge construction project. This morning (Sept. 8), crews on a barge started drilling, just offshore, to help designers determine what the riverbed floor at the base of the bridge looks like. This information will help designers determine the appropriate foundation for the bridge piers.

The current plan for the Mississippi River Bridge is a $640 million bridge between East St. Louis and St. Louis City, carrying I-70 about a mile north of the Eads Bridge. Construction of the new bridge will begin in early 2010 and should be complete by 2014-2016.

You can see more on the Mississippi River Bridge here.

The benefit of public meetings

2008-09-08T07:34:00.000-07:00

MoDOT is truly interested in recieving input from the public during the design process of most major projects -- there is also an increased emphasis on inviting public comment during even minor projects, as well.

As Missouri transportation experts, MoDOT does look at all of the changes as thoroughly as possible, and public meetings are not an opportunity to "vote" on which projects should be completed. But that also doesn't mean that MoDOT's "mind" is set on making changes. As an example, a recent proposal to close a slip ramp on westbound Route 94 in St. Charles County. MoDOT held a public meeting on Aug. 7, and based on input from that meeting, decided to hold off on closing the ramp for now, make some other changes to the project for safety and continue to monitor the project. You can read more about that here.

Keeping traffic moving

2008-08-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

MoDOT gets extremely involved when it comes to keeping traffic moving during special events. Over the next two weeks, two big events come into St. Louis.

Next week, 25,000 golf fans will watch some of the top names in golf at the Bellerive Country Club for the BMW Championships. In St. Louis, MoDOT has worked on the traffic plan, which includes temporary striping and daily traffic switches to keep traffic moving into and out of the event. You can read more about that here.

In two weeks, world-class cyclists and cycling fans can anticipate the Tour of Missouri bike race. MoDOT across the state, to include traffic experts in St. Charles and St. Louis, have worked hard to coordinate the routes and viewing areas for this seven day event.

Staying environmentally responsible

2008-08-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

MoDOT is making significant efforts on staying environmentally responsible during the construction and maintenance of the roads and bridges throughout the state. On the I-64 project, much of the concrete removed from the highway will be reused as part of the roadbed for the new concrete. In five years, the department across the state kept more than $3.6 billion pounds of waste from going into landfills (about the amount of household waste generated each year by the entire metropolitan St. Louis area). MoDOT reclaims about 70 percent of the state highway signs for re-use and uses recycled glass beads to increase the reflectivity of the roadways. In 2007, the department received an award from the Missouri State Recycling Program for its landmark efforts.

Motorist Assist celebrates 15 years of service

2008-08-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

Motorist assist, the men and women who travel the interstates in St. Louis and help keep traffic moving safer and smoother, celebrate their 15th year of service this year. Although, officially, motorist assist operators began patrolling St. Louis in January 1993, they got some of the original members back together recently to discuss how the operation has changed, but in the most important matters has stayed exactly the same.

You can read more about the 15th anniversary of Motorist Assist here.

MoDOT response to recent St. Louis Post- Dispatch editorial

2008-08-07T06:47:00.000-07:00

The Missouri Department of Transportation was recently criticized in an editorial in the St. Louis Post Dispatch about allowing a contractor to quality control the I-64 Design-Build construction process, with MoDOT oversight.

Pete Rahn, MoDOT Director, drafted a response to that editorial, which appeared in the paper on Aug. 7. You can read that response by clicking this link.

2008-2013 Transportation Improvement Plan adds three regional projects

2008-07-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission approved the latest Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan on July 1, which included more than $300 million in new construction projects.

Money for these projects came from lengthened bond terms and lower interest rates on Amendment 3 money, as well as savings from practical design efforts and matching funds from local municipalities. This money will be spent across Missouri, constructing new roads, improving interchanges and purchasing needed right of way for future projects.

In St. Louis, three projects were added to the plan:

Purchasing right of way for Route 141 between I-64 and Olive Blvd. in St. Louis County

Completing another section of Route 364, Phase II in St. Charles County

Interchange improvements at I-55 and Route M in Jefferson County

The five-year STIP includes nearly $5.8 billion in transportation improvements across Missouri, including about $4.3 billion for 730 highway and bridge projects, $810 million for other transportation modes, and $640 for local transportation programs.

Review the entire STIP here.

What's on your mind?

2008-07-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

If you had the opportunity to ask the Missouri Department of Transportation in St. Louis a question, what would it be?