Missouri Route 231 Safety and Traffic Study in St. Louis

What is the situation?

   The Missouri Department of Transportation has a two-year project, starting in 2025, scheduled for Missouri Route 231 between the city of St. Louis limits to just south of Franru Lane.  In this area, Route 231 follows Telegraph Road between Franru Lane and Laredo Avenue, Kingston Drive between Laredo Avenue and Grant Road, and South Broadway Street between Grant Road and the city limits. 

    As part of MoDOT’s project, the department will be resurfacing the roadway as well as making updates to the roadway’s pedestrian facilities. All existing sidewalks and crosswalks need to be updated to be meet current Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. Some new stretches of sidewalk will be added where there are missing gaps in the sidewalk.  In addition, many of the signals along the corridor will be updated. Since many of the existing sidewalks and entrances will be updated, this was the perfect time to look at the corridor and see what other improvements may be possible and reasonable while staying within the existing right of way and available funding. On average, speeds on the corridor range from 5 to 15 miles per hour over the posted speed limits. In addition, crashes along the corridor are roughly four times the state average for similar roadways. Most of the crashes involving cyclists and pedestrians were north of Ripa Avenue. 

What concerns were raised?

    The department held two public meetings to gather community input and identify opportunities to improve the roadway. The first public meeting gathered details on issues and concerns about how the existing corridor functions. The department also met with representatives from area businesses, police, churches, and community organizations. The second meeting gathered input on what options best met the community’s vision for the area.

    Overwhelmingly, the community shared concerns about the speeds of the corridor, as well as the desire to make it feel safer to travel along the corridor, whether in a vehicle, on foot, or on some other assistant device, such as a wheelchair. Many residents were open to reducing the number of lanes or the width of lanes in targeted areas, as well as making it easier to enter or exit roadways and business entrances along the corridor. 

What about simply doing nothing?

    At a minimum, MoDOT needs to resurface the roadway to help ensure it remains in safe and operational condition for those who use it, as well as bringing sidewalks and signals up to meet Americans with Disability Act of 1990 requirements.  If nothing else is done, traffic would continue to use the roadway at higher speeds and crashes and fatalities along the corridor would remain well above the average for similar roadways across the state. Although personal responsibility and higher law enforcement presence could reduce those issues somewhat, there are roadway elements that MoDOT can design into the project to more naturally slow traffic and reduce the potential for crashes.

What is being considered?

     Since the corridor between Franru Lane and the city limits ranges from four lanes plus shoulder at the southern portion of the project to two lanes plus parking between Ripa Avenue and Hoffmeister Avenue, one option cannot serve the entire corridor. After evaluating the area and taking into consideration information shared by the public,, the department is proposing:

•  Five lanes (two in each direction with a center turn lane) between Franru Lane and Kingston Drive with a buffered bike lane.
• Three lanes (one in each direction with a center turn lane) between Kingston Drive and Ripa Avenue, with a buffered bike lane.
• Two lanes (one in each direction) between Ripa Avenue and Hoffmeister Avenue, with the roadway signed for bicyclists and motorists to “Share the Road.”
• Three lanes (one in each direction with a center turn lane) between Hoffmeister Avenue and St. Louis City limits with a buffered bike lane. 

     The department is also updating crosswalks at Telegraph and Kingston, Ripa, and River City Casino Boulevard.  They are considering adding Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons – an additional pedestrian warning device – at existing crosswalks near Feed My People, West Holden Avneue, and Etta Avenue. They are proposing crosswalks at Sylvia Drive, Jeffersonian/Jefferson Barracks. Earlsfield Lane, West Arlee and Hoffmeister. The department is also suggesting including Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons at several of the new crosswalks.

What bike facilities will be available?

     For the most part, the proposal will include a buffered bike lane along the corridor, except at the narrow section between Ripa Avenue and Hoffmeister Avenue, which will be signed as share the road. The buffered bike lane will link with the planned cycle track along South Broadway Street in the city of St. Louis and will be able to integrate into any future connections from the Mississippi Greenway heading west from the River City Casino. These bike facilities were recommended by community adopted plans and supported by the community during public meetings, focus group, and surveys by the community for project.

 

What is the timeline?