Rick: I noticed in last weeks discussion that you have now moved the date for the reopening of the west section to January 2, 2008. Why have you already given up on finishing by the end of the year and getting your bonus? Personally, I was hoping that you would be done around the middle of December so that we could get the benefit of the new road before all of the holiday shopping was over. As it seems that you've made good progress except for the paving (which has lost days to the rain) is there no hope of getting done earlier than January 2nd?

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: No, no, no, that was just poorly worded on my part. We haven't given up on anything. We still plan to finish the west half by 12/31/08 (at the latest) and close the east half at the same time. We don't have a firm date for that just yet, but we still plan to finish as early as possible.

Dan

Bob G.: My question is regarding how much of the 170 interchange will be complete at the end of this year. I know that all of the flyover ramps will complete for obvious reasons. However, how much of the following, if any, will be complete by the end of the year. I suppose it’s important to note that I’m inferring about what will be finished and not necessarily what will be able to be used.
1) The new (or I guess more so repaved) SB 170 to Eager/Eager to NB 170 entrance/exit ramps.
2) The new SB 170 to Brentwood Blvd. exit ramp.
3) Will you have any of either of the collector distributor roads paved? If so, how far east (I’m assuming the bridges over 170 at the farthest)?
4) How far east will you have the mainline paved? Like the last question, I’m assuming no farther east than the bridges over 170.

I suppose this is more of an offering of advice than a question, no matter how serious you take it. I know you guys are worried about the traffic impact when you close the east half because the doomsday prophecy of hellfire and brimstone didn’t come true with the west half closure. I think that’s the best thing to do with the east half closure. Give another doomsday prophecy. Only this time, focus on the fact that the freeway isn’t closed between two freeways and instead it’s closed between a freeway and a city street that’s right by the areas largest medical complex. Stoplights as far as the eye can see with no easy access to Forest Park Parkway heading west from the eastern closure terminus. Sure the lights turn green, but it doesn’t matter because the freeway traffic is now on the city streets so you’re going nowhere. I suppose to seal the deal, you can tell the public you’ve run traffic simulations and suggest that if you’re going to detour on the city streets instead of on 44 or 70 that you should bring rations with you just in case because the delays will be so long. Just bouncing ideas out there because I agree that people are probably too relaxed about the eastern closure and that regardless of preparation (short of taking 44 and 70), the potential for some serious traffic problems exists.

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: North and southbound access to and from Eager Road will be finsihed by the end of this year as will southbound I-170 access to Brentwood Boulevard. The collector/distributor roads won't be finished yet as they would need to tie into the mainline. The eastbound mainline will be drivable as far as Brentwood Boulevard, where you would either take the east to north flyover ramp or exit to Brentwood. You could also enter the westbound mainline from Brentwood.

Dan

Jeff: The latest story is the Hanley/Eager interchange changes. Good job in doing this, just need to get it done sooner as to not impact north/south routes. As reported in STLtoday, Ed Hassinger, district engineer for MoDOT. has said he expected many drivers to turn to I-170 as an alternate, that other north and south connectors should be able to handle the traffic. He continued to say "I don’t think moving north and south will be any big issue".

I got news for him, it will impact the area in a great way. The problem with traffic is going north/south. Where have these people been?? What are these "other" north and south connectors to use? Fact is, there are none. 2009 will be the biggest mess every, big mess. It is clear MoDOT does not care. The public is expected to put up with this mess because of lack of planning to get it done quicker. Get it done !!

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: We'll get it done as soon as we can, but that is a complicated intersection and could take as long as the full eight months we have planned for it. That could mean an overlap with the Big Bend interchange reconstruction which has to start in June 2009 in order to be finished by the end of the year.

But keep in mind that Brentwood Boulevard will be completed by the time we close the Hanley Road bridge, as will access to and from Eager Road and I-170. No one is pretending that you won't even notice that Hanley is missing in 2009, but by then you will have completed crossings you can use at Spoede, Lindbergh, McKnight, McCutcheon, Brentwood, Boland Place, Highland Terrace, Bellevue Avenue, and Kingshighway, not to mention the new flyover ramps to and from I-170.

Dan

Rick: When you open the remainder of Kingshighway will you also open all four new exit/entrance ramps? Do you have a date yet for the proposed opening?

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: Right now it's looking like the Kingshighway interchange will be complete in mid-August. That includes all four ramps. That will also give people some time to get used to the way it works before we close the Hampton Avenue bridge on September 22 and all that traffic gets shifted to the east.

Dan

Rick: Are you currently doing any paving? I remember from previous discussions that the next section to be paved would be from McClausand to Brentwood but I don't see anything being done there currently - in fact it looks like you still have a lot of dirt to move. Are you working anywhere else.

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: Right now we're still paving between Clayton-Warson and McCutcheon. We have the mainline paving through that section complete, but still have to pave barriers, shoulders, entrance and exit ramps at McKnight and the median. The rock base is being placed today just east of McCutcheon which is where the next mainline paving will take place.

Dan