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Major upgrades planned along New Halls Ferry Road
Public Meeting Held on Route AC
(New Halls Ferry Road); MoDOT plans
to Cut Crashes with Many Improvements
During the last five years, there have been 1800 crashes, 5x the statewide average, including 20 fatal and/or serious crashes along Route AC (New Halls Ferry Road) from Shackleford Rd to Dunn Rd. Among the reported 1800 crashes, 600 occurred between Parker Spur and Dunn Rd.
MoDOT’s plan is to reduce crashes, especially those that result in serious or fatal injuries along Route AC. from Dunn Rd. to US Route 67 (Lindbergh Blvd.), and at the intersections of Vaile Ave. and Shackleford Rd., by installing several different types of safety improvements.
Some of these improvements will be familiar, such as retro-relective backplates, LED stop signs, chevrons along curves, high-visibility crosswalks, and median islands between opposing traffic lanes. However, “traffic calming” type improvements may look different to most people coming through this area, such as islands along the shoulders (bump outs) and hardened centerlines within an intersection.
A public meeting with elected officials, emergency responders, local law enforcement, community leaders was held on March 20 at the Florissant City Hall to outline the details of the plan.
What are some of the improvements coming to Route AC?
Modified Right Turn Angle
Right turn lanes at intersections will be adjusted by modifying the island’s corner and straightening the curve using white pavement marking on the shoulder to improve visibility and discourage high-speed turns.
High Visibility Crosswalk
Crosswalks will be upgraded with high visibility striping to help pedestrians be more visible to approaching vehicles.
Hardened Centerline
This improvement discourages high-speed turns by extending a low median island with rumble strips into the intersection, helping to guide traffic.
Offset Left-Turn Lane
Opposing left turn lanes will be shifted so that vehicles in the opposite left turn lane do not block a driver’s view of oncoming traffic.
Traffic Calming Improvements
Traffic calming improves a driver’s perception of speed and encourages better driver decision-making. In St. Louis and similar cities such as Milwaukee and Nashville, previous installations of traffic calming measures show that drivers will drive more cautiously, which reduces the frequency and severity of crashes.
The above improvements, combined, are predicted to reduce 54.7% OF CRASHES ANNUALLY within this section of Route AC.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Should I be driving over the hardened centerline?
The hardened centerlines are designed for vehicles to slow down and make a safer turn into the lane they are turning into. Single unit vehicles should not be coming in contact with the hardened centerline. However, they are designed for large trucks to be able to drive over if needed.
Will drivers be able to use the shoulder during an emergency if the bump outs are there? Drivers will have room to pull over in case of emergency. The bump outs are separated by at least 100 feet.How will MoDOT make these islands visible?
The end of each island nearest to approaching drivers is coated with reflective yellow paint. Three delineator posts with white reflective strips are installed on top of the island.
How will MoDOT plow the shoulder?
MoDOT generally focuses on clearing the lanes first, moving snow onto the shoulder. The provided delineator posts are expected to be visible during snow events.
