Elk Chute
Southeast District
Snow &
Ice
Russell Street
Signals
Talkin’
Dunklin County
TRANSPORTATION
December 2007
Elk Chute Bridge Replacement
MoDOT will accept
bids in January for a bridge
replacement project on
Route 164.
The project includes
replacing the Elk Chute
Bridge located just east of
County Road 709 to a half
mile west of Route TT.
“We’ll replace the
bridge on a new alignment,” says Project Manager Eric Krapf, “so traffic
will continue to use the old
bridge until the new one is
completed.”
Even though traffic
won’t face many impacts
during work, drivers are
still urged to use extreme
caution in the area and
watch for trucks entering
and leaving the work zone.
“If the bids are favorable, we expect construction to start this spring,”
says Krapf.
Russell St. Signals
MoDOT will also accept bids next spring for
a project to install traffic
signals at the intersection of Russell Street and
Route 25 in Kennett. If
awarded, work could
start on the project in summer 2008.
Route 53 Improvements
A $3.7 million contract was awarded in December to
start improvements to Route 53 in Butler and Dunklin
Counties.
The awarded project includes resurfacing and paving shoulders on Route 53 from
Qulin to Campbell and improvements to the Route J/Route 53
intersection. The second phase
of the project, expected in 2010,
includes resurfacing and paving shoulders from Poplar Bluff
to Qulin and from Campbell to
Holcomb.
Construction on the first
phase is scheduled to get underway early next year with completion anticipated in fall
2008. During work, two-way traffic will be reduced to
one lane. Traffic control will be handled by motorists following a pilot car. A vehicle, operated by the contractor
and signed as “Pilot Car,” will lead traffic south through
the one lane work zone. Once there, the car will turn to
lead northbound traffic through the work zone. All side
roads will be signed alerting motorists to wait for the pilot car to pass in the direction they intend to travel. Flaggers will only be stationed at state route intersections. At
all other intersections, there will be a sign alerting motorists to the pilot car.
“The Route J intersection will be closed for two weeks
while the intersection is rebuilt. Once all the details and
schedule are worked out with the contractor, we will
alert drivers before any change to traffic,” says Resident
Engineer Brian Holt.
In Ice & Snow: Take It Slow
MoDOT is preparing for the upcoming winter weather and reminding motorists of a soon-to-be-familiar refrain: in Ice and Snow, Take It
Slow.
Missouri has joined with 10 other Midwestern states in a group called
Clear Roads to send consistent messages during the winter season with
the best advice for driving in winter
weather – Ice and Snow, Take it Slow.
“It’s common sense, but it is a great
reminder, especially after a long season
of warm weather,” says District Engineer
Mark Shelton. “Many of us have forgotten how to drive on a slick road, and the
best thing you can do is slow down.”
Although MoDOT crews work hard
to clear roads fast and make them safe
for motorists, they ask drivers to drive
cautiously, pay extra attention to signs
and drive defensively.
MoDOT uses a priority system of
routes to determine which roadways
are cleared first to get traffic moving as
quickly as possible. The following are priority levels for snow and ice-removal:
o Priority 1: Highest traffic-volume roadways are cleared first, including interstates and other major routes. These roads receive continuous treatment throughout a storm.
o Priority 2: Lower-volume, lettered or numbered routes are opened
to two-way traffic and treated with salt at critical areas such as intersections, hills and curves.
After the storm during regular work hours, workers clean up accumulation on shoulders, bridge edges and interchanges.
Annually MoDOT spends approximately $30 million on snow and ice
removal. Last year, approximately 3,000 dedicated employees spent more
than 541,000 hours using the 1,800 snow-removal vehicles, which added
up to $43 million on snow and ice prevention and removal.
“Remember to give snowplows plenty of room to work, don’t tailgate
and try not to pass,” Shelton says. “We want everyone to get home safely.
Always buckle up, and
remember,
when driving in winter, Ice and
Snow, Take
It Slow.”
When You Have
To Go
Snow and ice are likely on their way.
While MoDOT crews gear up for bad
weather, Missouri drivers have a tool to
make their winter travels safer: MoDOT’s
new online Traveler Information Map.
Located at modot.org, the Traveler
Information Map gives drivers an up-tothe-minute view of road conditions for
major Missouri highways before they step
foot outside. Conditions for major routes
across the state are color-coded to give
visitors the information they need at a
glance.
“This internet map can be a lifesaver
when winter weather hits,” said MoDOT
Director Pete Rahn. “You can find out
what road conditions are throughout the
state before you leave the house. Avoiding
a slick, snow-covered highway in a storm
can make all the difference in the world.”
The map shows road conditions for
major Missouri cities, counties, MoDOT
districts and other travel destinations. Individual routes can also be selected. A text
report and links to road condition maps
for surrounding states are also available on
the Traveler Information Map page.
Although the map is updated around
the clock during winter events, road
conditions can go from bad to worse in
an instant. Drivers are strongly urged to
consult other informational sources before
heading out in any questionable weather.
Local television and radio stations and
the Missouri State Highway
Patrol provide information
to supplement conditions
reported on the map.
Travelers can find the
map by visiting modot.org
and clicking on the map at
the center of the page, or save
maps.modot.mo.gov/travelerinformation as a favorite for
quick reference.