Anne: This question goes back to one last week. Although this won't be an issue much longer due to the eastern half of Hwy. 40 closing:

If you're headed south on Kingshighway and then getting onto Hwy 40 west, there are stoplights. If those lights are red, are we required to come to a full stop and wait? Or just a full stop and check for traffic and if it's clear then we can continue onto the exit. I assumed we were to wait till the light turned green, but the answer given last week seemed to indicate otherwise. If you could clarify, that'd be great.

Thanks!

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: Our engineers are looking into this so I don't have a complete answer. At any red light, it is legal to make a right turn on a red after you have come to a complete stop and it is clear to turn. Our engineers are looking to see if we need extra signage at this ramp at Kingshighway. It is important to add that this right turn on the ramp is only red when the left turn traffic is coming down the ramp, so you should have to wait for traffic anyway if there is a red light. The light is green at all other times. But again, unless the intersection says no right turn on red, it is legal to make a right on a red after a full stop and it is safe to go.

Linda Wilson

Kim: When the west part of 40 reopens, will that alleviate some of the traffic congestion around Clayton and Ballas?

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: When I-64 opens on December 15 from I-270 to I-170, it should relieve some of the traffic congestion at Clayton and Ballas. There was always traffic on Ballas in front of the two hospitals and the schools. But the extra traffic trying to detour the closure should be gone.

Linda Wilson

Mr. X: To the casual observer, it appears that very little work is taking place at the actual I-170/Eager Rd. intersection. I thought this interchange was supposed to be completed before construction starts on the second half of I-64, but due to the lack of progress I am left to wonder if it will be finished by the Dec. 15 deadline. Have there been any problems at this intersection, or is just that there are more important things to finish first? Thanks.

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: There aren't any problems at Eager and I-170 that would prevent it from being completed in time for the December 15 deadline. We're currently in the process of finishing the southbound I-170 exit to Eager so we can switch traffic over to exit on the right side of I-170 south. That should happen by the end of the month. Northbound I-170 access from Eager Road will reopen once we close the east half of the project.

Dan

Pete: Hi Dan/Linda...

Great job so far on the construction. Hopefully, the east phase goes as smoothly as the west phase has.

Regarding alternate routes for 2009, I'm a little concerned about westbound traffic flow on Forest Park Parkway at Skinker, particularly around evening rush. That intersection handles a lot of pedestrian traffic coming from/to Wash U. Since there's no dedicated right turn lane on the westbound Parkway, the right lane backs up as cars turning north on Skinker wait for pedestrians to cross Skinker. By the time pedestrians have crossed, there's little time left for cars in the right lane of the Parkway to cross the intersection. Is there any solution to keep traffic in both westbound lanes moving freely? Maybe create a specific signal for pedestrians only, where all vehicular traffic stops for a short period of time...and then pedestrians are prevented from crossing until the next pedestrian-only cycle begins.

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: Thanks for the thoughtful comments at Skinker and the Parkway. This intersection is managed by the City of St. Louis. I will pass along your concerns about the pedestrian traffic movement and see what they can do. I know they are working on this intersection. A key thing to keep in mind with the traffic on all alternate routes is to try to avoid the peak of rush. If you can avoid the peak by even as little as 15 to 30 minutes, it can save you a lot of time sitting in traffic. Peak is typically 7:15-8 a.m. and 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Linda Wilson

Rae: Hi! Not really a question, but a number of readers have noted they will not have any problems using the alternate routes of Manchester, Forest Park Parkway, Page, ML King etc. during the east section closing, because they have been free and clear of traffic during the west section shutdown.

Please, a reminder that those routes will quickly fill up with other drivers. Page west of I-170 has been a beast to get through during the typical rush hours since the west end closing of I-64/40. I do hope the appropriate communities will get ALL traffic lights synchronized...Forest Park Parkway is going to be a parking lot. I'm lucky enough to have not been affected by the reconstruction, except for Page occasionally.

Thanks for your time, you've both been super!

Dan Galvin and Linda Wilson: Thanks for the note and it is a good reminder. MoDOT, St. Louis City and County are all working on the traffic signals to make them move traffic as best as possible. But, one of the keys to success is drivers. When we closed I-64 on January 2, we had traffic spread out over three hours for rush hour in the morning and evening. By the end of February, this crunched back down to one hour for morning and one hour for evening. Even the best signals can't handle it when everyone uses the road at once. People need to consider if they can move their hours even just 15-30 minutes can make a big difference. Page and I-170 is absolutely full of traffic from7:30-8 a.m. and then it is OK after that. Actually 7:45 to 8 is the worst as everyone tries to get to work at 8 a.m. Just a little difference in time would make a huge difference for traffic.

Thank you for the reminder to all readers.

Linda Wilson