CAMDEN COUNTY – To reduce the number of accidents along U.S. Route 54 between Osage Beach and Camdenton, work will begin Monday, November 12 on an improvement project which will help prevent crossover accidents and increase the safety of several intersections along Route 54 in Camden County.
As part of this project, lane closures will take place on both eastbound and westbound Route 54 between Osage Beach and Camdenton. One lane of Route 54 will be open at all times in both directions during the work. The project is scheduled for completion in August 2019.
The project includes various Route 54 safety improvements including:
- Installation of median guard cable along Route 54 between the city of Camdenton and west of the Camden County Route KK intersection in Osage Beach
- Intersection improvements at Spring Valley Road and Route 54
- Westbound Route 54 deceleration lanes at Key Largo Road, Runabout Drive and Cape Woods Drive
- A westbound acceleration lane at Key Largo Road
- An eastbound Route 54 acceleration lane at Camden County Route A
- Three J-turns will also be installed on Route 54 at the following locations: East of Key Largo Road, East of Camden County Route A and West of Route A
The Missouri Department of Transportation has studied 19 different J-turn intersections in Missouri, and the J-turn design resulted in a 25 percent reduction in crash frequency for all crashes. Fatal crashes decreased by 88 percent at J-turn intersections, and serious injury crashes were reduced by 78 percent. One of the most severe crash types, the left turn, right angle crash, was eliminated by the J-turn.
For more information about J-turns, please visit https://www.modot.org/j-turns.
The median guard cable scheduled for installation on this project has been shown to prevent almost all crossover accidents.
For more information about this project or other transportation matters, call toll free 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org/central or visit www.modot.org/central. You can also follow the MoDOT Central Missouri District on Facebook or Twitter via @MoDOT_Central for project updates.