Rick: I saw news reports this week that the federal highway fund was out of money and that projects in Missouri would be affected. Will this in any way affect the New I-64 project? If so will we end up with either no road or a road that doesn't connect at I-170?

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: Highway projects nationwide are paid for with a combination of federal and state highway funds. In Missouri, you pay 17 cents per gallon in state fuel taxes and 21 cents in federal fuel taxes. The federal taxes make up the Highway Trust Fund that is used to redistribute federal highway money to all the states to build projects. In Missouri, most highway projects are funded with 80% federal funds and 20% state funds. The Highway Trust Fund is running short on funding right now due to many reasons. The U.S. House passed the needed legislation to fund the Highway Trust Fund in July, but the Senate has not acted. If the Senate does not act by the end of September, Missouri could lose $252 million for highway projects.

With all of that background, the I-64 project is currently not in jeopardy. Any project in Missouri that is not yet under contract is in jeopardy. If Missouri is not receiving funding from Washington for projects, we may not be able to start new contracts. The biggest potential project affected in St. Louis would be the new Mississippi River Bridge downtown. Missouri's Highways and Transportation Commision will have to determine what to do based on the actions of the U.S. Senate.

Linda Wilson

Angela Tiburzi: What the newest information about the reconstruction at Mason road where the huge blind spot is?

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: Can you further explain your question? MoDOT does not have a construction project at Mason Road.

Linda Wilson

lisn2me: Is there any chance that I-64 could be opened in stages as concrete is laid west to east?

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: No. We do not plan on opening the highway in stages. Work continues every day on all five miles. When Dan and I drive through the project, there is activitiy from Brentwood to west of Spoede Road. I know it is difficult to know because you can't see all of this work. Basically, it will all get finished about the same time. There would not be a traffic benefit to open it in pieces in such a short difference in time. The west half will open by December 31, 2008, from I-270 to I-170.

Linda wilson

Mark: When the second phase opens, to offer an effective route in and out of the city, will the stretch of Manchester through Maplewood, east of Big Bend to McCausland be made into two lanes each direction? That bottleneck could be a signifigant problem.

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: MoDOT, St. Louis County and Maplewood have discussed the stretch of Manchester Road through Maplewood. This section of Manchester is owned by the city. It includes parking and also has concrete curbs that bump out so it cannot be opened to two lanes in each direction. We are going to do the best we can with signals, but it will remain one lane in each direction through Maplewood.

Linda Wilson

korey729: I'm on the IL side of the river and don't seem to hear much about the I-40 reconstruction over here. I was just wondering when the project is expected to be finished?

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: I'm not as familiar with the Illinois projects. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation's website, it appears they have a project on I-64 near I-255 installing cable barrier in the median of the highway. The website says it should be complete this fall. If this is not the project you are referring to, let me know and I can see what else I can find out. Illinois' website is www.dot.il.gov.

Linda Wilson