What are the proposed safety improvements on Route 67?
Based on the research conducted during the RSA, accommodating crossing movements via J-turns and modifying how motorists make left-turns onto Route 67 from side streets are considered the most cost-effective solutions that will function well into the future.
MoDOT is presenting two alternatives to improve the existing at-grade intersections along Route 67 at Cinder Road, Red School Road, Route 94/Richard Drive, and St. Charles Street:
Alternative 1: J-turns Only
Proposed improvements include:
- Eliminating the existing signal and the median crossover between northbound and southbound US 67 at the Route 94/Richard Drive intersection.
- Eliminating median crossovers between northbound and southbound US 67 at Cinder Road and Red School Road.
- Adding a southbound Route 67 to NB Route 67 J-turn north of Cinder Road.
- Adding a northbound Route 67 to SB Route 67 J-turn north of Route 94/Richard Drive.
- Realigning the curve along SB Route 67 just north of Route 94 intersection.
- Adding acceleration and deceleration lanes along northbound Route 67 at the Red School Road and Richard Drive.
- Improving acceleration and deceleration lanes along southbound Route 67 at the St. Charles St. intersection.
- Drainage, signing, lighting and guardrail improvements along Route 67 Corridor
MoDOT’s historical experience with J-turns anticipates the percentage of fatal and serious injury crashes to be reduced by approximately 80% and the total crashes along the corridor to be reduce by 25%. Implementing the proposed J-turns will reduce the number of conflict points by 68% along the corridor and eliminate crossing conflict points completely, limiting collision opportunities and, most typically, the severity of such collisions.
Alternative 2: J-turns with Offset Left-Turn Lanes
Proposed improvements include:
- All proposed improvements from Alternative 1
- Construct offset left-turn lane from SB Route 67 to Richard Drive
- Construct offset left-turn lane from NB Route 67 to St. Charles Street
Implementing the proposed J-turns with offset lefts will reduce the number of conflict points by 50% along the corridor. This alternative specifically considers the balance of safety, operations, and user convenience in reducing travel time.
Proposed Improvements Designs
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What are J-turns?
The J-turn is an alternative to traditional roadway intersections on a four-lane highway. Instead of motorists crossing fast-moving lanes of traffic to get to the opposing lanes, drivers at a J-turn intersection turn right in the same direction of traffic, merge into the left lane, and then make a u-turn in the direction they intend to travel.
The facts about J-turns
Although drivers will have to travel slightly further to get where they want to go using J-turns can take the same or less time than trying to wait for a safe and appropriate gap to cross traffic.
The point of these turns is to greatly reduce - or even eliminate - a significant number of severe crashes common when drivers must cross over busy highways to reach another road.
Once the J-turns are constructed, will I still have access to both directions of Route 67 and will it take me longer to get around?
Access from Cinder Road, Red School Road, Route 94, Richard Drive and St. Charles St. will be maintained, but due to the elimination of the median crossovers between southbound and northbound Route 67, traffic movements will be different and may include out of direction travel.
Alternative 1: J-turn only proposed improvements will result in the following:
- To access southbound Route 67 from Cinder Road, traffic will turn right onto northbound Route 67 and use the J-turn north of Route 94/Richard Drive to continue southbound on Route 67. This adds approximately 2.35 miles of out of direction travel.
- To access southbound Route 67 from Red School Road, traffic will turn right onto northbound Route 67 and use the J-turn north of Route 94/Richard Drive to continue southbound on Route 67. This adds approximately 1.75 miles of out of direction travel.
- To access northbound Route 67 or Richard Drive from Route 94, traffic will turn right onto southbound Route 67 and use the J-turn south of Red School Road to continue NB on Route 67 to Richard Drive. This adds approximately 1.6 miles of out of direction travel.
- To access southbound US 67 or Route 94 from Richard Drive, traffic will turn right onto northbound Route 67 and use the J-turn north of Route 94/Richard Drive to continue southbound on Route 67. This adds approximately 0.7 miles of out of direction travel.
- To access Richard Drive from southbound Route 67, traffic will continue south on Route 67 and use the J-turn south of Red School Road and continue northbound on Route 67 to Richard Drive. This adds approximately 1.6 miles of out of direction travel.
- St Charles Street will remain right in, right out onto southbound Route 67 with no access to northbound Route 67.
Alternative 2: J-turns with offset left turn lanes will result in maintaining access mentioned in Alternative 1, with the following exceptions:
- Constructing a southbound Route 67 to eastbound Richard Drive offset left-turn lane provides direct access to Richard Lane from southbound Route 67 and introduces no out of direction travel for this movement.
- Constructing a northbound Route 67 to westbound St. Charles Street offset left-turn lane provides direct access to St. Charles Street from northbound 67, which does not exist today.
- The construction of the offset lefts considers the balance of safety, operations, and user convenience in reducing travel time. (These features could be considered for removal in the future should severe crashes persist.)