St. Louis freeways

[Alex]

I was just in St. Louis from the middle of last week into the weekend.

Didn't have a chance to drive over the new I-70 bridge over the Mississippi River, but think it's slightly odd for what is now I-44 not having ramps onto the new bridge. However, traffic from I-44 wanting to cross the Mississippi would more likely do so from the older crossing.

A new "cap" over I-44 in front of the Gateway Arch is far along in progress. I can't tell for certain, but it looks like that block-wide cap will remove Memorial Drive between Chestnut Street and Market Street, creating a pedestrian-only zone between the Old Courthouse and the National Park. Underneath the cap MO DOT is doing a bunch of work in the median of I-44. I can't tell for sure if they're trying to convert it to 3 lanes in each direction, up from the previous 2, or just doing road improvement work. If they do make it 3 lanes in each direction the road won't have any shoulders (which would seem to violate Interstate highway standards). Our civic club group new better than attempt to drive a car near the arch. We walked from the Union Station Hotel to the Gateway Arch park instead.

These two sites outline all of the changes associated with the CityArchRiver 2015 project:

http://www.modot.org/stlouis/major_projects/ParkovertheHighway.htm
http://www.cityarchriver.org/construction/roadway/

[SteveG1988]

I was just in St. Louis from the middle of last week into the weekend.

Didn't have a chance to drive over the new I-70 bridge over the Mississippi River, but think it's slightly odd for what is now I-44 not having ramps onto the new bridge. However, traffic from I-44 wanting to cross the Mississippi would more likely do so from the older crossing.

A new "cap" over I-44 in front of the Gateway Arch is far along in progress. I can't tell for certain, but it looks like that block-wide cap will remove Memorial Drive between Chestnut Street and Market Street, creating a pedestrian-only zone between the Old Courthouse and the National Park. Underneath the cap MO DOT is doing a bunch of work in the median of I-44. I can't tell for sure if they're trying to convert it to 3 lanes in each direction, up from the previous 2, or just doing road improvement work. If they do make it 3 lanes in each direction the road won't have any shoulders (which would seem to violate Interstate highway standards). Our civic club group new better than attempt to drive a car near the arch. We walked from the Union Station Hotel to the Gateway Arch park instead.

I think the reason that I-44 doesn't have ramps is due to them planning a potential second span, for when traffic counts warrant it.

[Revive 755]

A draft version of the new long-range transportation plan for the St. Louis region is online (45 MB file)

Highlights

* A replacement of the Chain of Rocks Main Channel Bridge on I-270 is listed for the 2016-2025 time frame

* Six-laning US 40 between MO K and I-70 is listed in the 2026-2035 time frame

* In the upper-tier unfunded wishlist is what I'm assuming is the connector freeway between the new I-70 Mississippi crossing and I-55 east of IL 203, but no mention of the companion river bridge.  The cost seems awfully high though, considering it is through almost all undeveloped land - $1.5 billion.  The many times longer Gateway Connector  (in the second-tier unfunded wish list) is listed as $1.015 billion.

* Also in the uppper-tier wish list is a new project to widen I-270 between MO 100/Machester Road and US 40.



The City of Wentzville has posted an Access Justification Report for a new interchange on I-70 with the proposed David Hoekel Parkway, which per the proposed signing plan on Page 89/89 of the pdf would be Exit 206.  Link

[lordsutch]

* In the upper-tier unfunded wishlist is what I'm assuming is the connector freeway between the new I-70 Mississippi crossing and I-55 east of IL 203, but no mention of the companion river bridge.  The cost seems awfully high though, considering it is through almost all undeveloped land - $1.5 billion.  The many times longer Gateway Connector  (in the second-tier unfunded wish list) is listed as $1.015 billion.

That price suggests the companion bridge is included in the estimate.

[robbones]

When is the I 55 SB/64 WB to I 44 EB  ramp going to get finished?

[adt1982]

When is the I 55 SB/64 WB to I 44 EB  ramp going to get finished?

Who knows?  Anything involving the Poplar Street Bridge is never-ending.

[Revive 755]

Per recent documents from from the East-West Gateway Council of Governments, (Pages 18/35 and 24/35), the functional classification for the MO 21 freeway south of Hillsboro is being removed ('no plans to construct').  A temporary removal, or MoDOT permanently pulling the plug on the corridor?

[codyg1985]

What were the plans for the MO 21 freeway?

[ModernDayWarrior]

What were the plans for the MO 21 freeway?

There were plans to extend the freeway further south to DeSoto (not really necessary IMO, but would have been nice). I don't remember hearing of plans to convert any other parts of MO 21 to freeway.

[CapeCodder]

What were the plans for the MO 21 freeway?

There were plans to extend the freeway further south to DeSoto (not really necessary IMO, but would have been nice). I don't remember hearing of plans to convert any other parts of MO 21 to freeway.

Some parts of 21 are really dangerous, a freeway would make sense, but with lack of funding it could just be a pipe dream.

[wolfiefrick]

I live in St Louis and I love the freeways here! They are consistently well maintained, not to mention wide. I will say that MO-364 is sort of crazy with its ten lanes out in Creve Coeur, and that the I-64/I-170 interchange can get out of hand with lots of traffic and not many lanes to work with. I think MoDOT focuses on things that don't really need much improvement and neglect other things.
For example, driving back from Clayton, where my father works, on SB I-170 and trying to access WB I-64, it's a nightmare. There's only three lanes (one for EB 64, one for WB 64, and one for Brentwood Blvd/Eager Rd), and people use the WB 64 exit only lane to cut in front of traffic in the EB 64 lane and cut in when there's an opening. The Brentwood Blvd/Eager Rd has one exit only lane and an option lane it shares with the WB 64 lane, so that exit has two lanes, but the traffic it gets is unjustified for the amount of lanes it has. The EB 64 exit flyover needs two lanes and the Eager Rd exit needs only one. Please MoDOT, FIX THIS!

[brycecordry]

There were plans to extend the freeway further south to DeSoto (not really necessary IMO, but would have been nice). I don't remember hearing of plans to convert any other parts of MO 21 to freeway.

If I were them, I would route the freeway down to De Soto as planned, but then dump 21 and pick up Route 110 around the city to the north, and continue east over to Route 67 using the existing Route 110 corridor.

[skluth]

I live in St Louis and I love the freeways here! They are consistently well maintained, not to mention wide. I will say that MO-364 is sort of crazy with its ten lanes out in Creve Coeur, and that the I-64/I-170 interchange can get out of hand with lots of traffic and not many lanes to work with. I think MoDOT focuses on things that don't really need much improvement and neglect other things.
For example, driving back from Clayton, where my father works, on SB I-170 and trying to access WB I-64, it's a nightmare. There's only three lanes (one for EB 64, one for WB 64, and one for Brentwood Blvd/Eager Rd), and people use the WB 64 exit only lane to cut in front of traffic in the EB 64 lane and cut in when there's an opening. The Brentwood Blvd/Eager Rd has one exit only lane and an option lane it shares with the WB 64 lane, so that exit has two lanes, but the traffic it gets is unjustified for the amount of lanes it has. The EB 64 exit flyover needs two lanes and the Eager Rd exit needs only one. Please MoDOT, FIX THIS!

The ramp to I-170 is only busy a couple times per day and it's not bad. Certainly not as bad as I-270. Local drivers are lucky. Drivers in Chicago, DC, LA, and several other cities would love it if that's as bad as traffic got.

The ramp to Brentwood would back up to the highway if it weren't two lanes, especially on weekends and busy shopping periods like Christmas. Finally, the ramp to Brentwood also serves Hanley. It also costs a lot more money to make a two-lane flyover ramp than a short ramp on the surface. Your comparison is irrelevant.

[Revive 755]

MoDOT has posted plans for reconfiguring the I-70 interchange with 5th Street in St. Charles into a DDI, and adding a couple ramps to Fairgrounds Road as well.  It's Item F03 on MoDOT's January Letting (plans are a 99 MB pdf).

[wolfiefrick]

MoDOT has posted plans for reconfiguring the I-70 interchange with 5th Street in St. Charles into a DDI, and adding a couple ramps to Fairgrounds Road as well.  It's Item F03 on MoDOT's January Letting (plans are a 99 MB pdf).

That's really cool! Right now there exists two other DDIs in Missouri: one on I-44 somewhere in Springfield was the first one to be constructed in Missouri in 2009, IIRC; and there's a relatively new one from a few years ago on I-270 at Dorsett Rd in Westport (exit 17, I think). Other than that there's no more. Can't wait to drive it!

[mvak36]

MoDOT has posted plans for reconfiguring the I-70 interchange with 5th Street in St. Charles into a DDI, and adding a couple ramps to Fairgrounds Road as well.  It's Item F03 on MoDOT's January Letting (plans are a 99 MB pdf).

That's really cool! Right now there exists two other DDIs in Missouri: one on I-44 somewhere in Springfield was the first one to be constructed in Missouri in 2009, IIRC; and there's a relatively new one from a few years ago on I-270 at Dorsett Rd in Westport (exit 17, I think). Other than that there's no more. Can't wait to drive it!

There's actually quite a few more. I can think of at least 3 in the KC area, with 4 more that will be constructed. There is one in Columbia and I think there are more in the Springfield area.

[wolfiefrick]

MoDOT has posted plans for reconfiguring the I-70 interchange with 5th Street in St. Charles into a DDI, and adding a couple ramps to Fairgrounds Road as well.  It's Item F03 on MoDOT's January Letting (plans are a 99 MB pdf).

That's really cool! Right now there exists two other DDIs in Missouri: one on I-44 somewhere in Springfield was the first one to be constructed in Missouri in 2009, IIRC; and there's a relatively new one from a few years ago on I-270 at Dorsett Rd in Westport (exit 17, I think). Other than that there's no more. Can't wait to drive it!

There's actually quite a few more. I can think of at least 3 in the KC area, with 4 more that will be constructed. There is one in Columbia and I think there are more in the Springfield area.

Interesting. I'll have to go there and take a look.

[ModernDayWarrior]

MoDOT has posted plans for reconfiguring the I-70 interchange with 5th Street in St. Charles into a DDI, and adding a couple ramps to Fairgrounds Road as well.  It's Item F03 on MoDOT's January Letting (plans are a 99 MB pdf).

That's really cool! Right now there exists two other DDIs in Missouri: one on I-44 somewhere in Springfield was the first one to be constructed in Missouri in 2009, IIRC; and there's a relatively new one from a few years ago on I-270 at Dorsett Rd in Westport (exit 17, I think). Other than that there's no more. Can't wait to drive it!

There's actually quite a few more. I can think of at least 3 in the KC area, with 4 more that will be constructed. There is one in Columbia and I think there are more in the Springfield area.

Interesting. I'll have to go there and take a look.

Yeah, there are actually five of them in Springfield now. In addition to I-44/MO-13 (the first one built in the US), there are two on US 60 (at MO-13 North/Kansas Expressway and at National Avenue) and two on US 65 (at Battlefield Road and Chestnut Expressway). There is another one being built now just south of the city, in Ozark at US 65/MO-CC.

[Revive 755]

MoDOT has revealed plans for the MO 141 interchange with I-44.  Highlights include:

* Widening the WB I-44 exit to two lanes
* Adding a flyover from SB MO 141 to EB I-44
* Adding loop ramps for the NB MO 141 to WB I-44 and WB I-44 to SB MO 141 movements, complete with a C-D roadway
* Upgrading the EB I-44 to NB MO 141 movement to have a triple left

Main problem I see with the design is that a signal remains between I-44 and the bridge over the BNSF tracks to provide access to/from the North Frontage Road west of MO 141

Additionally, MO 141 will be getting a quasi-Michigan left design north of I-44: MoDOT handout

[m2tbone]

MoDOT has posted plans for reconfiguring the I-70 interchange with 5th Street in St. Charles into a DDI, and adding a couple ramps to Fairgrounds Road as well.  It's Item F03 on MoDOT's January Letting (plans are a 99 MB pdf).

That's really cool! Right now there exists two other DDIs in Missouri: one on I-44 somewhere in Springfield was the first one to be constructed in Missouri in 2009, IIRC; and there's a relatively new one from a few years ago on I-270 at Dorsett Rd in Westport (exit 17, I think). Other than that there's no more. Can't wait to drive it!

There's actually quite a few more. I can think of at least 3 in the KC area, with 4 more that will be constructed. There is one in Columbia and I think there are more in the Springfield area.

There's actually another DDI just one city over in St. Peters at I-70 and Mid Rivers Mall Dr.  It's been open for a couple years now.  Along with  the ones listed above, there's also one in Branson at US Hwy 65 and MO 248.

[rte66man]

MoDOT has posted plans for reconfiguring the I-70 interchange with 5th Street in St. Charles into a DDI, and adding a couple ramps to Fairgrounds Road as well.  It's Item F03 on MoDOT's January Letting (plans are a 99 MB pdf).

That's really cool! Right now there exists two other DDIs in Missouri: one on I-44 somewhere in Springfield was the first one to be constructed in Missouri in 2009, IIRC; and there's a relatively new one from a few years ago on I-270 at Dorsett Rd in Westport (exit 17, I think). Other than that there's no more. Can't wait to drive it!

There's actually quite a few more. I can think of at least 3 in the KC area, with 4 more that will be constructed. There is one in Columbia and I think there are more in the Springfield area.

Interesting. I'll have to go there and take a look.

Yeah, there are actually five of them in Springfield now. In addition to I-44/MO-13 (the first one built in the US), there are two on US 60 (at MO-13 North/Kansas Expressway and at National Avenue) and two on US 65 (at Battlefield Road and Chestnut Expressway). There is another one being built now just south of the city, in Ozark at US 65/MO-CC.

There's one in Branson on US65 at Branson Landing Road

[The Ghostbuster]

Are any of the St. Louis freeways or roads still flooded? If not, how bad was the damage?

[adt1982]

Oh goody...

http://www.ksdk.com/traffic/lane-closures-near-poplar-street-bridge-begin-monday/57402741

[wolfiefrick]

Oh goody...

http://www.ksdk.com/traffic/lane-closures-near-poplar-street-bridge-begin-monday/57402741

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Rothman]

Oh goody...

http://www.ksdk.com/traffic/lane-closures-near-poplar-street-bridge-begin-monday/57402741

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO