Commute on Highway 40? MoDOT Says Avoid During These Times

Any commuter can tell you Highway 40 between Route 94 in St. Charles County and Interstate 270 is one of the busiest, most congested, and most stress-inducing stretches of road in the St. Louis area.

A new study from the Missouri Department of Transportation identified the worst times to drive on Highway 40. The study examined typical traffic from Route 94 to Spoede Road, east of I-270. During the morning rush, 6 to 9 a.m., MoDOT examined eastbound traffic. During the evening rush, 3 to 6 p.m., westbound traffic was monitored.

The results may not be surprising, but they may confirm the suspicions of some local drivers:

• In the morning, traffic begins to slow between 6:45 and 7 a.m.
• The worst time to travel east is between 7 and 7:45 a.m.
• Travel times don't get back to normal until after 8:30 a.m., especially between Woods Mill and Mason roads.
• In the evening, traffic begins to slow between 4 and 4:30 p.m.
• The worst time to travel west is between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m.
• Travel times don't get back to normal until after 6 p.m. If you drive over the Daniel Boone Bridge over the Missouri River, traffic may continue to be slow since the narrow bridge has a reduced speed limit.

Beginning Tuesday, Highway-40 drivers will see the worst travel times on electronic message boards. The study will be completed every month, so the information on the typical commute will be up to date.

MoDOT is asking drivers to consider adjusting their commute times based on the study.  “By knowing the worst time to travel, we are asking all (Highway 40) drivers to consider adjusting their travel times to spread out the peak demand.  By leaving 15 minutes earlier or waiting until closer to the end of the peak period, you could actually get to your destination faster,” Tom Blair, MoDOT assistant district engineer, said in a news release.

Correction: This article has been corrected to accurately reflect the worst travel times going west are between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. A previous version of this article misstated this info. This article was last updated at 3:45 p.m. on May 24.