HANNIBAL – Just over a year ago, the Missouri Department of Transportation held a public meeting inviting input from area residents and U.S. 61 commuters about potential safety improvements that could be made along the corridor between Troy and Wentzville. As a result of that input and research conducted by MoDOT, the department encourages the same audiences to attend a public meeting on Wednesday, September 20 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Troy Ninth Grade Center in Moscow Mills to learn about the proposed safety improvements.
“We have a long list of projects, some which are already being constructed, and we want to hear more from the public about the rest of the improvements,” said MoDOT Area Engineer Erik Maninga. “The best way to be informed is to attend the public meeting or view the displays and information on our website immediately following the meeting,” Maninga added.
The following improvements are already funded by the state and will take place over the next few years:
Adding deceleration lanes at Himmel Road (northbound), John Creech Road (southbound), Raceway (southbound) and Granville Drive eastern crossing
Closing median crossovers; all will be right in, right out only at Raceway/Himmel Road, John Creech Road, Crossroads, Autosales, Grothe Road and Granville Drive (both entrances)
Extending acceleration lane at Grothe Road
Installing guard cable in the grass median from Route C to Wentzville
Resurfacing U.S. 61 between Troy and Wentzville
Extending acceleration lanes at Grothe Road
New interchange at Route P/Peine Road (under construction)
Widening/redeck of Big Creek Bridge (under construction)
“In addition to these safety improvements, we also will be adding turn lanes at Routes K and V north of Troy,” Maninga said.
The total cost of these improvements is more than $6 million and are funded with the Missouri fuel tax, automobile sales tax, vehicle license and registration, the federal fuel tax, and safety funds.
All information about these projects can be found online on Thursday, September 21 at www.modot.org/northeast under Lincoln County.