Meeting Summary

Summary: August 9, 2007 meeting of the New I-64 Connection Committee
 
Attending: Steve Runde, City of St. Louis; Ron Morris and Tom Blair, Missouri 
Department of Transportation; Gary Hoelzer, Town and Country; Mike Wooldridge, 
Ladue; Amy Hamilton, Richmond Heights; Tom Becker, Frontenac; Steve Wylie, 
Webster Groves, St. Louis County Councilwoman Barbara Fraser and her executive 
assistant Matt McLaughlin, and Garry W. Earls, Glenn Henninger, Mark Jaeger, Richard 
Beckman and David Wrone, from St. Louis County's Department of Highways and 
Traffic.
 
Intersection of Elm and Swon (Webster Groves)
 
Mark Jaeger, from the County's Department of Highways and Traffic, opened discussion 
by explaining that representatives from his department were meeting that day with 
Webster Groves officials to select a design for the traffic signal poles that the County will 
install at Elm and Swon. The decision must be made as quickly as possible, if the poles 
are to be ordered, manufactured, delivered and installed on schedule (by year's end), 
Jaeger said.
 
 
 
Elimination of "exclusive" pedestrian signal at Ladue and Price
 
Ladue's Michael Wooldridge asked about the County's plan to de-activate the exclusive 
pedestrian signal phase at Ladue and Price, near Reed School. (When activated, an 
exclusive pedestrian signal "freezes" traffic in all four directions; under normal 
pedestrian "walk" signals, motor vehicles can still proceed parallel to the walkers, which 
is much more favorable to traffic flow, according to traffic engineers.) Jaeger replied that 
pedestrians would still have a traditional "walk" phase, while Garry Earls noted that a 
crossing guard would be on duty at the intersection during school arrival and departure 
hours. Jaeger assured Wooldridge that the school would be notified before the County de-
commissions the "exclusive" walk feature.
 
 
 
City of St. Louis: Signal Inspections 
 
According to St. Louis City's Steve Runde, the City is currently hiring a consultant to 
inventory approximately 300 of its traffic signals. The company will examine all aspects 
of the signals - timing, type and age of equipment, etc. - to determine what steps can be 
taken to make them more effective. The 300 devices represent roughly 50 percent of St. 
Louis' entire signals inventory, Runde said. 
 
 
 
Left turn lanes from Ladue onto Lindbergh
 
The City of Creve Coeur previously had inquired about the timeline of re-striping both of 
Ladue Road's approaches (east and west) to Lindbergh Boulevard to create two left turn 
lanes onto Lindbergh. Currently, a single left turn lane exists on both approaches. Mark 
Jaeger explained that the County and the Missouri Department of Transportation believe 
the striping should remain as is. Traffic diverted by the pending closure of I-40 from 
Spoede Road to I-170 will likely place a high demand on Ladue's existing "thru" lanes 
across Lindbergh. According to Jaeger, MoDOT and the County will closely monitor the 
intersection once I-40 closes to determine if, at that time, striping changes are warranted.
 
 
 
Pre-emption devices on Olive (MoDOT) 
 
MoDOT's Tom Blair explained that the state would soon award a contract for the 
installation of pre-emption devices on major Olive Boulevard intersections, from I-270 to 
Hanley. "We're committed to turning Olive into an east-west emergency corridor, much 
like Clayton Road," Blair continued.
 
 
 
I-64/I-270 traffic
 
Garry Earls strongly recommended that state transportation officials do everything within 
their power to encourage east-bound I-64 motorists to take north-bound I-270 - once the 
interstate closures begin early next year. Earls is concerned that too many I-64/40 drivers 
will try to circumvent the closure by taking I-270 south to I-44, and thence to Elm 
Avenue. "The overwhelming majority of east-bound I-64 traffic is headed for Clayton, 
and I-44 won't be able to handle them," Earls predicted. "We have to figure out how to 
get those cars to the north - not the south, because we don't have a place to put them. We 
have a place to park them, and that place is Webster Groves."
 
Earls continued to say that these motorists - rather than using I-44 to access the central 
corridor - must be given every incentive to take I-270 north from I-64 to reach Olive and 
Page.
 
MoDOT's Ron Morris responded that the state can't force motorists to take I-270 north 
from I-64, but that he would consult with other MoDOT traffic engineers about the 
possibility of providing an additional exit lane onto northbound I-270 for I-64 drivers to 
use.
 
 
 
McKnight Road Bridge
 
Ladue's Michael Wooldridge asked Ron Morris if McKnight Road Bridge's north-south 
traffic lanes could be re-opened prior to the bridge's exit and entrance ramps being 
constructed. (The bridge is scheduled for demolition and replacement under The New I-
64.) Morris replied that such an action is "certainly possible."
 
 
 
Grocery Store Delivery Hours 
 
Town and Country's Gary Hoelzer asked for an update on the subject of cities' easing the 
hours during which supermarket supply trucks would be allowed to make deliveries while 
I-64 is closed. Earls responded that he's drafting a letter to send to central corridor 
communities, asking that they consider the matter reasonably. "We've got to get the 
trucks in and out," he noted.