Missouri's First Highway Tunnel

This week saw the beginning of construction of the first ever Missouri highway tunnel. The St. Louis-area tunnel will take four lanes of Lindbergh Boulevard under Lambert Field runways.

The good news is that, according to MoDOT, the 1420-foot long tunnel will be completely pedestrian and bicycle-accessible. Initially there will be two 12-foot lanes in each direction with a 10-foot should on the left and a 12-foot shoulder on the right. In the future this could be re-configured as three 12-foot lanes with 5-foot shoulders on each side.

According to Chuck Rietter, spokesman for the Lambert Field expansion, "Not only do plans allow for bicycles and pedestrians, MoDOT has approved the new section of Lindbergh and the tunnel for use by bicycles and pedestrians. . . . Current designs of the tunnel and Lindbergh provide for smooth shoulders with ample room. In fact, the shoulders themselves will be smoother than in some areas of the roadway being replaced. Bicycle-friendly storm water grates are specified. The tunnel is designed in several ways to provide sufficient space, ventilation, noise levels and lighting to make passage through the tunnel a safe endeavor. . . . There are no plans that would impinge on bicyclists and pedestrians who wish to continue or begin using Lindbergh."

Read more about the tunnel's design & specs from MoDOT here and here.

Read the rest of the story on STLToday.