Missouri Bicycle News Article

The MoDOT project to rebuild I-64/Hwy 40 will completely close the freeway for an extended period of time. Because of that, many in the area are worried about opening up alternate routes.

St. Louis County is proposing to take control of two main parallel roads, Clayton Rd & Ladue Rd, away from four cities along those routes: Frontenac, Ladue, Creve Coeur and Town and Country. The cities are not in agreement but the county claims they have jurisdiction to move forward regardless.

This issue, and the effects it may have on currently heavily used bicycle routes, has been under discussion on the St. Louis Bike Fed's online discussion group.

Among the things the county is proposing is to re-stripe and add lanes--removing the extra width that is currently the reason these roads are useful as bicycle routes. Apparently these roads would then remain in that form even after the freeway construction project isover.

Both roads are key, irreplaceable bicycle connections. As one bicyclist wrote: "Clayton is the freeway of cyclists...commuting and recreational. This would very seriously impact a very major cycling route."

Meanwhile, according to discussion on the message board, the acting director of the county highway department has indicated that he would just as soon get bicyclists off those two roads altogether.

To speak out on this issue, contact County Council members here (click on the council member's name for contact info) or contact County Executive Charlie Dooley.

More:

• Proposed agreement between the county & the four cities, which outlines the changes the county plans to make [PDF file]
  
  
• Post-Dispatch article on the controversy
  
• Map of the general location