Ask the Patch Pro: MoDOT Answers Your Questions

Linda Wilson Horn November 15, 2012 at 06:11 pm

MODOT's project is complete, but there is a trail project going through this same intersection. It is being done by Great Rivers Greenway using an old railroad line. I believe they are restriping the intersection with that project.

Linda Wilson Horn November 15, 2012 at 06:13 pm

We don't have any plans to change the signals back. Typically our engineers are regularly monitoring signal timing and making adjustments as traffic patterns change. The opening of a new section of Page and the new 141 this summer, along with the work on I-70 at Blanchette Bridge, have really increased traffic on Page. We will keep the lights as they are and keeping watching them for changes.

Linda Wilson Horn November 15, 2012 at 06:16 pm

MoDOT has significantly cut back on its mowing since our budget has been cut in half in recent years. We only mow the full state property maybe once per year. I believe the issue is the city ordinance requires grass to be mowed more often than that. We mow for sight distance along the edges of the road at intersections, but otherwise we have a very limited mowing.

Linda Wilson Horn November 15, 2012 at 06:17 pm

Unfortunately, this Sunday's blast of the Blanchette Bridge is not very easy to see. The section of the bridge is right next to the Ameristar Casino so it is blocked for almost every view except the St Louis County side. We will have a second blast in early December and it will be very visible from Frontier Park in ST Charles. I would recommend watching Sunday's blast on TV and watching the section blast from the riverfront park.

Linda Wilson Horn November 15, 2012 at 06:25 pm

Even though the Best Buy is closed, the signal is still serving other businesses and potentially there could be a business in Best Buy in the future. The signals on Manchester are all timed so they work together so if traffic is light turning out of those businesses, the delay at that light should be miminal.

Linda Wilson Horn November 15, 2012 at 06:41 pm

I checked with our engineers for this area. The stop bars on Price at Olive are already set back pretty far. You are right there is a skew to the intersection, but they don't feel they can set these back any farther. If you set a stop bar too far back, people won't stop there because they would feel they are too far out of the intersection. I understand your point about helping the left turns from Olive go faster, but we have to balance everything.

Linda Wilson Horn November 15, 2012 at 06:41 pm

I checked with our Right of Way department and they did receive your request late last week. They are checking into the property ownership and will get you an answer as soon as possible.

Linda Wilson Horn November 15, 2012 at 06:42 pm

We currently don't have any plans to resurface this section of Manchester. I have asked our engineers to look into your concern and see what treatment may be needed.

Brenda Christmas Marlowe November 15, 2012 at 06:50 pm

Thanks, Linda! That is fabulous news!

Linda Wilson Horn November 15, 2012 at 06:51 pm

According to the Missouri Driver's Manual, you do not need to stop for a school bus on a four-lane road if you are traveling in the opposite direction of the school bus. Only the vehicles behind the bus must stop. School buses are not allowed to drop off children on a four-lane road if the children would have to cross all four lanes. That is why the opposing traffic does not have to stop. I would add that whenever you see a school bus stop, it's good to slow down some and be extra cautious with children present.

MikeyParks November 15, 2012 at 06:52 pm

Are there any plans to make the left turn lane onto Hilltop from eastbound Olive a left turn yield to oncoming traffic? Currently, when the eastbound Olive light is green, you sit in the left turn lane unable to turn until a left turn arrow comes on. Why not a flashing yellow arrow or a left turn yield to oncoming traffic when the light is green?

Linda Wilson Horn November 15, 2012 at 07:22 pm

I don't know where this project is. Can you be more specific on the location in terms of what city this is in? It might not be a state project?

Roger November 15, 2012 at 07:23 pm

On highway 30 many of the interchanges are being redone. Which ones are still going to be updated? Any between 270 and northwest ?

Linda Wilson Horn November 15, 2012 at 07:26 pm

We don't allow a yielding left at Olive and Hilltop because you would be turning left across three lanes of opposing traffic. So the left turns can only go on a left arrow. It is not considered safe to yield across three lanes

Kelly Cousins November 15, 2012 at 07:37 pm

This is a two part question: 1. Why are large 18 wheelers and commercial trucks allowed to use Blackforest as a major thoroughfare? Kids play along this road and it's dangerous. 2. Since this is the case the road looks terrible. When will it get repaired?

Linda Wilson Horn November 15, 2012 at 07:46 pm

I don't know who is responsible for Blackforest Drive, but it is not a state road. If it is a public street, I don't know that you can prohibit commercial trucks as people need deliveries to their homes too. It looks like it could be a St Louis County road based on the location in South County. I would recommend you check with them on the maintenance and limiting trucks

R. Kemp November 15, 2012 at 07:46 pm

Who would be in control of turning lanes into shopping centers? I have witnessed very close calls with other drivers at 141 left turn lane leading into the big Costco parking lot. Its a 2 lane left turn off of 141 down to one lane. The sign to "one lane" is set at that point not before. I have had a upset man follow me into the parking lot because of this issue. I was in the left turning lane. He was in the left side of that turning lane. Can the sign be moved back closer to 141? Can the lane paint be redone? Thank you for this service.

Linda Wilson Horn November 15, 2012 at 07:55 pm

Route 30 at Dillon, Caroline and Delores will have the striping finished and open sometime tomorrow. These are the last three to be updated. We will have work to put in guardrail later, but that's it.

Linda Wilson Horn November 15, 2012 at 08:16 pm

Once you turn into a private shopping center, all of the traffic control is their responsibility. My best recommendation would be to say something to the COSTCO Store Manager. Looking on the map it clearly looks like the two lanes merge into one but for some reason St Louis drivers have a lot of problem merging.

Linda Wilson Horn November 15, 2012 at 08:57 pm

thanks for the interesting questions today. I'm signing off for the day. Perhaps Patch will host this discussion again.

Gregg Palermo (Editor) November 15, 2012 at 09:01 pm

Many thanks to Linda for answering all these questions!

Jordan Lanham (Editor) November 15, 2012 at 09:02 pm

Thanks so much for participating in this week's Patch Pro Linda! We'd love to have you back sometime soon! :)

Jim Frain November 15, 2012 at 09:09 pm

Very disappointing and unacceptable answer from MODOT concerning their responsibility for maintaining the right of way mowing in O'Fallon, MO.

Doris Borgelt November 15, 2012 at 09:13 pm

The red light located on Jeffco in front of Rockport school in Arnold, flashes yellow most of the day everyday. At certain times of the school day, it just turns red! That is when people slam on their brakes or cruise right through it. Wouldn't it make more sense and be safer for it to flash green all day, then turn yellow for the appropriate amount of time before changing to red?

Doris Borgelt November 15, 2012 at 09:14 pm

he traffic signal located on Jeffco and Tenbrook Rd. across from Fox Campus in Arnold has had many accidents west bound from Tenbrook or eastbound from campus resulting from left hand turns. There are left turn arrows for north and south bound lanes on Jeffco. It seems it would be much safer to install left turn signals for the lights directing traffic east and westbound. This problem has remained unaddressed for many years, what can be done to alleviate it?

Doris Borgelt November 15, 2012 at 09:30 pm

I know it is not your fault,Ms. Horn, but there was a thread posted to ask questions and I posted two of them and another person posted also. That thread was evidently abandoned, so none of those questions were answered. Why?

Bryanna Hampton (Editor) November 15, 2012 at 09:31 pm

Just read through the questions and answers -- thanks for contributing, Linda!

Tim Griffith November 16, 2012 at 07:25 pm

I have had a concern; The west bound lanes on hwy 370, aproaching the 370 bridge over the Missouri River, between Earth City Expressway and the Bridge, need to be restriped. The existing striping is faded and the existing striping that was removed, by scraping/grinding it off, still appears like its a lane marking, with the sun in the evening, shining on it, like its a current lane marking line, very confusing seeing whats what, especially at evening rush hour, with the sun at a lower angle shining accross it from the west. I think it needs to be restriped, or have more contrast/color against the light color of the concrete pavement there. I know it has been restriped several times in the past for different projects/reasons, but I think someone from MoDot, should drive it several times during rush hours/ sun setting times, to see what I mean. Also some of those pavement mounted, lane marking, reflectors, would really help folks see those lanes at night, and at night in the rain too. This would make it a lot safer for everyone, like my self, that use this hwy daily. Thanks for your concideration on this matter, Tim Griffith.

Diva Rita November 20, 2012 at 04:43 pm

The project, not sure if it is a road or bridge, borders the city of St. Louis and the city of Maplewood; just south of Hwy 44 and Arsenal Street.

Ashly November 20, 2012 at 09:00 pm

Would MoDOT PLEASE considfer adding a larger shoulder or sidewalk from the entrance of the Marisol subdivision (located on W) to the intersection of W and 109. It would be less than a 1/2 mile stretch. My concern is for the residents of Marisol who jog or ride a bike from the subdivison into the town of Eureka where they are able to access a trail. W is such a dangerous road to begin with, plus it would be nice to not have to jump into weeds every time a car drove past. Any information or suggestion on how we can make this happen would be appreciated! Thank you for your consideration.