Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES — The expansion of Highways 63 and 50 to four-lane corridors remain the number one and two regional transportation priorities, respectively, the Meramec Region’s Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) confirmed at its December meeting. The proposed projects on Highway 63 and Highway 50 have topped the regional priority list for several years. The group met virtually on Dec. 12.

Once the top regional projects were determined, TAC members from each county shared the top three or four additional transportation needs from their counties. Each TAC member selected high, medium and low priorities electronically from a list of 30 projects. Those selections were tabulated and weighted to determine a prioritized list of needs for the region. 

The TAC’s prioritites for the upcoming year are as follows, in order of priority:

Top Regional Priorities 

1. Four-laning of US 63 from US 50 in Osage County to the Phelps/Texas County line;
2. Four-laning of US 50 from about one mile west of Linn to the Gasconade/Franklin line;

High Priority

• Address flooding concerns of bridge over Crooked Creek in Dent County;
• Improve intersection at Hwy. 50, RT CC and Osage county road 801 in Osage County;
• Improve safety at Hwy. V interchange in Phelps County;
• Add two-way left turn lane through Westphalia in Osage County;
• Address safety concerns at school entrance on Hwy. 19 in Gasconade County;
• Add passing lanes north of Freeburg and address safety improvements to intersection of Rte. E and 63 in Osage County;
• Address safety concerns on bridge over Gladden Creek on MO 19 in Dent County;
• Convert overpass to interchange for economic development and safety at junction of FF in Crawford County;
• Replace bridge over Dry Creek on Route HH in Crawford County;
• Install left turn lane on MO 19 at Lindburg Road in Crawford County;

Medium Priority

• Address width and safety concerns of bridge over Frene Creek in Gasconade County;
• Extend exit 159 on-ramp from I-44 in Pulaski County;
• Improve safety at the Y intersection of Hwy. 63 and Hwy. 28 south of Vienna in Maries County;
• Improve safety at the intersection of MO 100 and Rte. J west of Hermann in Gasconade County;
• Address safety concerns on bridge over West Fork of the Huzzah on MO 32 in Dent County;
• Add southbound turn lanes on US 63 to Hwy. 28 near Vichy.
• Address sight limitations at the intersection of MO 19 and Roosevelt Street in Dent County;
• Improve interchange of US 63 and I-44 in Phelps County;
• Address safety concerns and traffic control needs in St. James from tlock Drive to DD in Phelps County;
• Improve safety to the humps and hills on Rte. 133 from Richland to Swedeborg in Pulaski County; 
• Address width concerns to bridge over Dry Fork Creek on MO 28 in Maries County;

Low Priority

• Improve safety at the Y intersection of Hwy. 422 and 133 in Maries County;
• Improve safety at S-curve on Hwy. 17 1.9 milies north of Beaumont Road in Pulaski County;
• Address improvement needs on bridge over Big River on Rte. C in Washington County;
• Address capacity and safety improvements to overpass of I-44 to University Drive in Phelps County;
• Improve safety and add shoulders to MO 89 all the way through Osage County;
• Address improvement needs on bridge over Mill Creek on MO 47 in Washington County;
• Address improvement needs on bridge over Richwoods Creek on Rte. A in Washington County; and 
• Address improvement needs on bridge over Cyclone Hollow on Rte. A in Washington County. 

The TAC approved the priority list and later that evening recommended the prioritized list to the board of Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC). MRPC also approved the list. MRPC will now share the list with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Central District office for consideration of inclusion in MoDOT’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The STIP is a five-year plan for design and construction projects.

The priority list is an annual planning exercise for the TAC.

Persons needing more information on MRPC’s Transportation Advisory Committee may contact MRPC at (573) 265-2993. For more information on Transportation needs in the region or other programs offered by MRPC, follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion or visit www.meramecregion.org. 

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. Gasconade County Presiding Commissioner Larry Miskel serves as chairman of the board. A professional staff of 34 offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.

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Cutline: Morning traffic on two-lane highway 63 moves just North of Rolla. One of the region’s top transportation priorities is to make highway 63 four lanes all the way through the region.