ST. LOUIS HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION

HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION REPORT
For more information on road construction call 1-888-ASK MODOT.

"If it's happening in St. Louis, it's on Saint Louis Front Page."

How To Reach Us:
St. Louis Front Page
P.O. Box 1354
St. Louis, MO 63188

Voice: 314-771-0200
Fax: 314-771-0300

To submit news, contact:
editor@slfp.com

To advertise, contact:
advertising@slfp.com

The $640 million Mississippi River Bridge is designed to relieve congestion and promote economic growth regionally. Photo courtesy MoDOT, IDOT

Can St. Louis Become the Bridge to Somewhere?
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), January 3, 2010 - On December 30, the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission awarded the Mississippi River Bridge main span contract to a joint venture from Massman Construction/Traylor Brothers/Alberici Constructors for $229.5 million.

The decision was made with concurrence from the Illinois Department of Transportation.

In a statement, Kevin Keith, P.E., the Missouri Department of Transportation's Chief Engineer, said, "We're excited to be moving forward with this needed project. The important thing to remember is this bridge dramatically improves safety, relieves congestion on the Poplar Street Bridge and provides alternate routes through the region. Additionally, the overall bridge project will promote economic growth regionally."

The lowest bid for the main span contract was about $39 million higher than expected. Additional funding comes from savings on the overall river bridge project, $11 million from the I-64 construction project and bond savings.

"We anticipate some significant savings on the remaining portions of the project from innovative value engineering concepts," stated Gregory Horn, P.E., Mississippi River Bridge project director. "These concepts helped us design a bridge that met the regional requirements for traffic flow and safety, while providing excellent value to the taxpayers of Missouri and Illinois."

MoDOT officials have a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal for the new Mississippi River Bridge main span of18 percent. This aggressive goal means approximately 18 percent of the money the prime contractor gets for the project - more than $41 million - will be paid to minority- or woman-owned businesses.

This goal is based on the availability and willingness of certified DBE companies to accomplish certain tasks on the project. Since the construction of the main span is very specialized, the goal required the contractor to be innovative and expand their use of DBE companies. Additionally, MoDOT and IDOT have included a possible $3.5 million incentive to encourage the contractor to be socially and environmentally responsible, with the desire that this will increase overall diversity throughout the project. See related story: Missouri, Illinois Reach Agreement on New $640 Million Mississippi River Bridge

Increases in Rest Areas and Truck Parking Keeps Drivers Safe
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), January 3, 2010 - The Missouri Department of Transportation continues to improve safety measures for commercial motor vehicle drivers. While states across the country close their rest areas and parking facilities, MoDOT keeps adding to the state's inventory.

Between 2002 and 2009, the number of truck parking spaces provided by MoDOT increased from 587 to 853, a 45 percent jump in nine years. Two welcome centers and more converted truck parking areas will create an additional 142 spaces for 2010. This parking space increase is vital for truck drivers who under federal law must leave the road and rest once a 10 to 11 hour workday is recorded. Drivers need truck parking or a rest area when they reach their limit, and these places aren't hard to find in Missouri.

"MoDOT understands that for professional drivers to perform at their best, good rest is important," says Pete Rahn, director of MoDOT. "Truck drivers work long days and deserve places along our roadways to park, relax and feel safe."

Special attention is given to truck and recreational vehicle parking when MoDOT builds or reconstructs interstate rest areas. For example, upgrades at Joplin (Interstate 44), Conway (I-44) and Eagleville (I-35) and plans for welcome centers in Marston (I-55) and Hayti (I-55) will add hundreds of additional parking spots.

When possible, MoDOT converts roadside facilities that are decommissioned into truck parking facilities. Many are located on former weigh station sites. The first of these, near Odessa, Mo., on I-70, opened for truck parking in 2005. This location along with the other park-only sites near Kearney, Platte City, Charleston, plus the former rest areas near Joplin, Coffey and Doolittle provide a parking area with lights.

"Motor carriers really appreciate how easy it is to find a place to rest," said Jan Skouby, MoDOT motor carrier services director. "That makes Missouri truck-friendly and helps keep shipping costs down, so we pay less at the store."

Archived News:

Snow Brings Out Road Crews on Holiday

Traffic Congestion Increases As Motorists Navigate New I-64 Interchanges

New I-64 Reconstruction Is a 'Winner' for Motorists

Hanley Road Bridge Reopens to Traffic One Month Early

MoDOT using Twitter for Traffic Updates in St. Louis, Kansas City and along I-70

New Entrance to Forest Park Opens for Summer Season

MoDOT Reveals Top 10 Work Zones To Look Out For

Hanley Road Overpass at I-64 Taking Shape

New State Transportation Program Presents Uncertain Future

Railroad Side Track to Add Capacity for Amtrack Trains

Missouri Has First-In-Nation Economic Recovery Project

Grand Party Celebrated Opening of West Half of I-64

Reconstruction of Interstate 64 Is Ahead of Schedule

YouTube Video Shows How Dedicated Truck Lanes Could Work

Drivers Reminded Not to Barrel Through Work Zones

Missouri, Illinois Reach Agreement on New $640 Million Mississippi River Bridge

MoDOT To Launch Origin/Destination Web Tool

The Saint Louis Front Page is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Saint Louis area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 1996 - 2010 Moore Design Group.