Write Up:

Traffic incidents are unplanned events that block travel lanes and temporarily reduce roadway capacity. Responding promptly to crashes, debris and stalled vehicles improves system performance, so quick clearance is essential for restoring normal traffic flow.

In the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, St. Louis reported 2,095 traffic incidents with an average clearance time of 27.1 minutes, representing a 7.8% decrease in incidents and a 5.1% decrease in clearance time compared to the third quarter of FY 2025.

Kansas City had 1,346 incidents averaging 30.6 minutes, reflecting a 24.7% decrease in incidents and a 21.7% decrease in clearance time.

Springfield reported 548 incidents with an average clearance time of 28.6 minutes, a 6.6% increase in incidents and a 3.2% increase in clearance time.

Rural counties along Interstate 70 between MM 28 (Oak Grove) and MM 203 (Foristell) recorded 71 incidents averaging 83.4 minutes, a 14.5% increase in incidents and a 14.7% decrease in clearance time.

Rural counties along Interstate 44 between MM 0 (Oklahoma) and MM 69 (Springfield), as well as between MM 91 (Strafford) and MM 224 (Sullivan), had 68 incidents averaging 35.4 minutes, an 11.7% decrease in incidents and a 31.8% decrease in clearance time.

Overall, the combined measured areas saw an 11.5% decrease in traffic incidents and a 16.3% decrease in clearance times, according to MoDOT’s Advanced Traffic Management Systems.

For the third quarter of FY 2026, Springfield met targeted clearance times. Although St. Louis and Kansas City did not meet their time-to-clear targets for the quarter, both regions improved compared to the same quarter one year ago. St. Louis decreased its average clearance time by nearly a minute, and Kansas City improved by more than eight minutes, signaling continued progress.

Purpose of the Measure:

This measure is used to track the trends in incident clearance on the state highway system.

Measurement and Data Collection:

Advanced transportation management systems are used by traffic management centers in St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield to record the incident start time and the time when all lanes are declared cleared. Traffic incidents can be categorized into three general classes of duration set forth by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, which include minor, intermediate and major incidents. Each class has unique traffic- control characteristics and requirements.

This target is established by projecting a 10% improvement over a 5-year average.