Highway 40 Plan Selected

Yesterday, nine City staffers were briefed on some of the new details for the I-64/Highway 40 reconstruction project. However, we have not yet received a copy of the winning bid or the proposed traffic maintenance plan. Once we’ve studied the plan, we can start working with the contractor to prepare and implement it — and we can start talking to you about its implications for motorists, businesses in the construction corridor, and emergency responders.

The winning contractor is good news for the City. The bid that the Commission selected is made up of companies that are very good at what they do, including some major local companies that care a lot about the region and St. Louis.

Another bit of good news for the City is the proposed phasing of the project: west to east. We will have two additional years to learn from what happens when the western part of the highway is closed in St. Louis county — and to prepare.

The City of St. Louis is undergoing a dramatic renaissance. The reconstruction of our highway infrastructure — making I-64 safer and increasing its capacity — is an important element of the renaissance. The goal — and challenge — is to do what it takes to make sure that the construction project feeds the progress, and doesn’t reverse positive trends.

We have time — and plenty of alternate routes, including I-44, I-55, I-70, Manchester, Forest Park, Delmar, Lindell, Gravois, and others. Other cities have gone through similar major projects with less warning and fewer alternatives, and gotten through them. St. Louis will get through this.