Construction on Hwy. 61 Safety Improvements Slated for 2016, Funding Partnership Approved

Nearly a year ago, the Wentzville Board of Aldermen vowed to make safety improvements for Highway 61 a priority.

The stretch of road from the Interstate 70 to the St. Charles County border has seen an inordinate number of accidents the last few years, especially at several at-grade intersections—and particularly, the intersection at Highway P.

St. Charles County sent out a press release on March 22 to announce the approval of a funding partnership between St. Charles County, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the City of Wentzville that will improve safety on Hwy. 61:

St. Charles County submitted an application to MoDOT for the funding partnership in response to recent severe accidents on the highway. It was determined that the safety of the corridor could be improved with the construction of a grade-separated interchange at Missouri Route P and Peine Road, as well as the construction of improvements at several other intersections along the corridor.

The $14 million funding partnership includes $8 million in funding from MoDOT, $3.5 million from St. Charles County and $2.5 million from Wentzville.

St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann said he was pleased with the cooperative spirit demonstrated by MoDOT in approving the county’s application.

“This type of project is also made possible because St. Charles County voters renewed the ½ cent Transportation Sales Tax in August 2012,” Ehlmann said.

The Wentzville Board of Aldermen's Role in Hwy. 61 Improvements

Even a partial list of accidents, as reported on Wentzville Patch, illustrate the seriousness of the road's safety issues:

• Five Injured in June 26 Accident on Hwy. 61 at P (June 27, 2012)
• Wentzville Teen Seriously Injured in Hwy. 61 Crash (May 15, 2012)
• Four People Injured in Crash on Highway 61 (Nov. 29, 2011)
• Wentzville Woman Killed in Accident as Husband Watched from Another Car (Aug. 26, 2011)
• Two Wentzville Residents Injured in Crash (April 14, 2011)
• Update: Crash Victim Passes Away (Feb. 15, 2011)
• Wentzville Man Seriously Injured in Crash (Feb. 9, 2011)

The board began their quest with a letter to MoDOT in June 2012.

That letter resulted in a special public work session where the board, city staff and citizens aired their concerns to MoDOT officials.

The meeting resulted a plan of action, with the first step the designation of the stretch of roadway as a Travel Safe Zone.

READ MORE:

• Board Passes Ordinance to Back Hwy. 61 Travel Safe Zone
• Special Board Work Session with MoDOT Set for Wednesday

"It's the first step of a journey," Alderman Forrest Gossett said at the time, noting that fifteen people had died in seven years on the highway.

City staff then began looking at funding options for improvements to the dangerous intersections.

St. Charles County Council Member Joe Cronin also made the project a priority, saying "far too many accidents have occurred in this section of highway. I am pleased to see these improvements made for the public’s safety.” 

Design work should begin this year, with construction on the project starting in 2016.