Expect Nearly 2 Years Construction On I-270 Beginning April

Residents turned out to The Lodge Des Peres Monday to learn more about an $11.6 million road construction project to widen Interstate 270 and relieve congestion in St. Louis County at a traffic-jam hotspot.

The project, headed by Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will:

• narrow existing I-270 lanes from 12 to 11 feet
• add a northbound lane between I-44 and Manchester Road
• add a southbound lane between Dougherty Ferry Road and I-44.

Contractors begin work in April and should finish by December 2013.

The segment of highway carries 160,000 vehicles per day, according to Project Manager Thomas Evers with MoDOT. He said lane closures will be needed for the work, but that would be done during non-peak hours, most-likely at night.

“The basic need for the project is that we have backups during every morning and afternoon rush hours,” he said. “That traffic is not going to decrease in time, so we need to stay proactive and work on widening the road.”

Evers said the project particularly would help traffic at the I-44 and I-270 interchange by extending the merge lane onto I-270 northbound all the way up to Manchester Road.

“Today, those ramps back up quite a bit,” Evers said. “That lane can stay through all the way to Manchester. (Drivers) will not have to merge over a couple hundred feet after they get onto I-270. That really helps that movement because otherwise, when they have to merge over and basically force their way in, and that creates a chain reaction of starting a backup.”

A MoDOT traffic study determined the project would increase capacity by 15 percent southbound during evening peak hours and 18 percent northbound during morning peak hours.

Speed on the stretch of interstate both ways is expected to increase from about 30 mph to about 60 mph, with a 2-minute reduction of delay going both ways.

Residents can leave comments about the project until Feb. 15 on the MoDOT website.

Kirkwood resident Jamie Scott who lives off of North Signal Hills Drive questions whether the project’s expense merits its benefits and said she is concerned as a taxpayer.

“I happen to commute that route every single day, so I’m aware the traffic issues do not stop at Dougherty Ferry or Manchester. The traffic doesn’t open up until highway 70," Scott said. "So it’s a $12 million dollar project to potentially change traffic flow for 120 seconds for 2 miles."

She’s also concerned as a homeowner who lives a few hundred yards from the construction site. Scott's house is in a blast zone area and sits on solid bedrock. Evers said any vibrations or geological shift would result in her home being destroyed.

“I’m here to find out what is required of the contractors in terms of monitoring and protecting residents,” she said.

The impact of construction on neighbors close to the work zone area also brought out Des Peres resident Margo Corpening who lives off of Highland Avenue.

“I personally have a water issue coming off the highway, so with more pavement, I'm going to get more water, however MoDOT has informed me that I'm on the plans for fixing this issue behind my house, so if all goes well, they'll come in and fix it,” Corpening said. “If they don’t, then I’m in trouble.”

Corpening has been involved with the widening project since MoDOT released plans for sound walls.

“Anytime you do construction there is some impact,” said Bill Schnell, assistant district engineer with MoDOT. “We try to minimize the impact to any residents.”

Corpening said that so far MoDOT has been very cooperative on working with her and other residents about sound walls.

The public meeting also drew members of the community whose homes do not border the construction area.

“It doesn't impact me because of my home location but it does affect people in our community,” Kirkwood council member Paul Ward said. “It affects us all. It doesn't matter where you live. These kinds of projects affect everyone who drives a car.”

Evers said commuters can expect little impact during morning and rush hour commutes during construction.

MoDOT will continue a virtual public meeting about the widening of I-270. Maps of construction plans can be found on MoDOT’s website.