kfairbank: When exiting hwy 40 onto Kingshighway heading North, one heads to the traffic signal that lets one turn left into Forest Park. Unfortunately, one can only turn left at the green arrow. However, the green arrow never comes on, so cars just turn left on the green when there's a gap in the oncoming traffic. Can this be fixed, before there are accidents? Thanks.

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: I will have our traffic engineers check this. It should have an arrow.

Linda Wilson

Belle: I know that this is not an I-64 question but I thought you might know the answer. When will the Big Bend widening project (between Sulpher Springs and New Ballwin) be complete. They seemed to be moving so quickly at first and now it has just been alternating traffic between the not quite completed lanes.
Thanks very much and this is a great forum. I'm glad that there is a chance that the PD and MoDot will contine.

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: This is a St. Louis County project and my understanding is the work should be complete later this year.

Linda Wilson

Alex C: First - thank you so much for doing this weekly QA. I check in every week to read it!

Last week you said 'The lanes on I-70 will be returned back to three in each direction with shoulders. This work will happen at night and probably not until next spring. We have some resurfacing to do and then restriping. We are also looking at extending the ramps from north and south I-270 to eastbound 70 to help with that merge.'

There has been such a significant decrease in accidents and congestion because of the modifications to that interchange, even with the additional volume from the closure of Hwy 40, it seems like a mistake to return to the previous configuration. Can you provide any more information on who is looking at the potential modifications to the I-270 ramps to eastbound I-70? If readers want to make comments on that change, who should we contact?

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: The temporary restriping of I-70 (and I-44) to add more lanes was allowed by the Federal Highway Administration as just that, a temporary measure. We needed to do something major to help traffic get around on the other interstates while I-64 was closed. Once we reopen I-64, we have to put I-70 (and I-44) back to the way it used to be.

We do recognize that a major bottleneck was eastbound I-70 where the I-270 ramps come in. Our engineers are working on the designs for a small contract to extend the I-270 ramps longer so there is more time for the I-270 traffic to merge together before merging into eastbound I-70.

So we cannot keep I-70 with four lanes in each direction with reduced shoulders. We are trying to help one of the trouble spots at the merging of the I-270 ramps. If you want more information, MoDOT's Area Engineer for North County is Larry Welty. He can be reached through MoDOT's general number, 314-340-4100.

Linda Wilson

laura: I heard that the construction may be done early. Is this true? If so, when do you expect to be complete? Thanks!

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: We are on schedule to reopen all the lanes of I-64 by our deadline of December 31, 2009. As we have discussed in previous weeks, it is too soon to make an exact date of when this will open. We are working hard to be done early, but there is still a lot to do and a lot of bad weather that can happen and slow us down. We do not expect to announce an opening date until November.

Linda Wilson

Suds11: Hi,
i read last weeks dicussion question regarding the stop signs at Meridian off of Hanley. As someone who lives "Inside the Zone", this solution to the problem is IMO opinion been the worst. You bottlneck 10,000 cars a day into ONE lane around the "jughandle", and we are worried about a few metro link riders crossing the street, or we are concerned about people leaving a parking garage? Are you serious? So, let me get this straight, we shut down the states busiest highway, and divert rush hour traffic twice a day down Hanley, condensing people into one lane between 2 parking garages, and our number one priority is to put 2 stop signs up, so a small number of people are able to cross the street? Seriously? Overall i have been happy with the 40 project progress, but this decision is BY FAR the worst yet. Whoever made this decision is obviously someone who doesnt have to drive this stretch of road 2 times a day or more. Can we not turn the stop signs sideways when we are out of peak hours of traffic especially? Was installing a temporary crosswalk not possible? I'd even take a traffic light if it was timed properly. The solution currently is horrific and wasnt very well thought out.

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: We completely understand your frustration. We are trying to make the best of a difficult situation right now. Meridian is a privately built street that is allowed to be used by the public. In our effort to rebuild the Hanley and Eager connection in a short three month timeframe, the only way to keep any connection there is to use Meridian. However, this road is a small street and does have a parking garage on one side and office space on the other. It is the best situation we can do. The Hanley/Eager construction is scheduled to be finished and opened by late October. Until then, you can continue to use Meridian or try some of the other streets including crossing I-64 on Hanley or Brentwood, or taking Eager to Hanley Industrial.

Linda Wilson