Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES — The expansion of Highways 63 and 50 to four-lane corridors are the number one and two regional transportation priorities, respectively, the Meramec Region’s Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) confirmed at its Dec. 11 meeting. The proposed projects on Highway 63 and Highway 50 have topped the regional priority list for several years.

Once the top regional projects were determined, TAC members from each county shared the top four additional transportation needs from their counties. Each TAC member selected high, medium and low priorities from a list of 32 projects. Those selections were tabulated and weighted to determine a prioritized list of needs for the region. 

The TAC’s priorities for the upcoming year are as follows, in order of priority:

Top Regional Priorities 

1. Four-laning of US 63 from US 50 in Osage County to the Phelps/Texas County line;
2. Four-laning of US 50 from about one mile west of Linn to the Gasconade/Franklin County line;

High Priority

• Add southbound turn lanes on US 63 to Hwy. 28 near Vichy in Maries County; 
• Improve safety to bridge over Cherry Valley Branch on Hwy. 19 in Crawford County;
• Address flooding concerns on I-44 near Jerome in Phelps County;
• Address flooding concerns of bridge over Crooked Creek on Rte. TT in Dent County;
• Improve safety and traffic control on I-44 and Hwy 72 interchange in Phelps County;
• Improve Hwy. 50 from CR 604 W of Linn to Rte. 89 in Linn in Osage County;
• Address flooding concerns on Rte. 100 east of Hermann and west of Frene Creek near the fire department in Gasconade County;
• Install left turn lane on Hwy. 19 at Lindburg Road in Crawford County;

Medium Priority

• Replace bridge over Bailey Creek on Rte. 100 in Gasconade County; 
• Replace the bridge over Wallen Creek on Rte. U in Washington County;
• Improve safety at the Y intersection of Hwy. 63 and Hwy. 28 south of Vienna in Maries County;
• Add northbound turn lane on Rte. 21 at Purcell Drive in Washington County;
• Address safety concerns at intersection of Hwy. 19 and Roosevelt Street in Dent County;
• Improve intersection at Hwy. 21 and Diamond Drive in Washington County;
• Improve corridor, including widening to 4-lane US 63 entire way through Phelps County;
• Address safety concerns on bridge over Roubidoux on Rte. H in Pulaski County;
• Address safety improvements to intersection of Rte. E and 63 in Osage County;
• Address safety concerns at industrial park entrance from Hwy. 28 to North City Limits on Hwy. 19 in Gasconade County;
• Convert overpass to interchange at the junction of Rte. FF and I-44 in Crawford County;
• Replace bridge over Bourbeuse River on Rte. 19 in Gasconade County;
• Address safety concern at intersection of Glassy Rd. and Heyer Rd. on MO 19 in Crawford County;

Low Priority

• Improve safety along MO 28 throughout Maries County;
• Replace bridge over Earle Creek on Rte. F in Phelps County;
• Improve intersection of Rte. 28 and I-44 in Pulaski County;
• Add a new Missouri River crossing to connect Hwy. 94 to Hwy. 100 near Chamois in Osage County;
• Improve safety at the Y intersection and T intersection of Hwy. 42 and 133 in Maries County;
• Address flooding and safety concerns of Tavern Creek Bridge on Rte. U in Pulaski County;
• Improve intersection at Rte. 8 and Ameren Dr. in Washington County;
• Improve safety along entire route of Rte. 119 in Dent County;
• Improve safety along entire route of Rte. B in Dent County
• Address safety improvements on Rte. 133 coming out of Richland headed to Swedeborg in Pulaski County; and 
• Address safety concerns at the intersection of Hwy. 50 and Rte. 100 in Osage County.

The TAC approved the priority list and later that evening recommended the prioritized list to the board of Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC). MRPC also approved the list. MRPC will now share the list with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Central District office for consideration for inclusion in MoDOT’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The STIP is a five-year rolling plan for design and construction projects, which means new projects are added each year. 

The priority list is an annual planning exercise for the TAC. The TAC revisits its priority list annually to provide MoDOT with an updated needs list as it considers projects for the STIP. The work starts with county-level meetings each year that are open to the public.

Persons needing more information on MRPC’s Transportation Advisory Committee may contact MRPC at (573) 265-2993. MRPC also accepts road, bridge and multimodal needs and suggestions from the public at any time throughout the year to be added to the list for discussion. Those needs can be submitted by emailing Planning Manager Anne Freand at afreand@meramecregion.org or by calling MRPC at 573-265-2993. For more information on Transportation needs in the region or other programs offered by MRPC, follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion or visit www.meramecregion.org. 

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. Osage County Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin serves as chairman of the board. A professional staff of 24 offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.

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