The New I-64

It will take a year to rebuild this stretch of I-64 in St Louis. They have closed it completely for the construction. One person thinks, if they can close a stretch of interstate for a year do they really need it anyway?

Full information at the kink below.

New I-64

MrFSS said:

It will take a year to rebuild this stretch of I-64 in St Louis. They have closed it completely for the construction. One person thinks, if they can close a stretch of interstate for a year do they really need it anyway?

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Aloha

I followed the link to see if they were resurrecting Route 66. When I went west at 20 years old, an awful many moons ago, that was the route I drove, which I was on as I went through St. Louis. All I remember was I got on 66 at its beginning and stayed with it to LA except for a few side trips, like my incredible visit to the meteor crater from the back side. The same way I got there was used in the movie "Starman", but I'll bet the crews didn't get the breakfast and service I had. The memories of that visit are forever in my mind.

I tend to agree with the person that thinks that if they can close it a year they don't need it and additionally it is actually going to close for two years as another section closes next year. hmn, Wonder what construction deficiency they want to hide? Guess I am getting cynical as I age.

Mahalo for the information

Eric aka GG-1

Now hold on just one minute!!!

US 40 (I 64) has been closed down from Spode Road to I170 - in about a year that section of 40 will be reopened and the section of 40 east of I170 to Kingshighway will be closed down for a year.

I know about this because I live just off I170 about 1.5 miles from 40.

We are surviving, but secondary highways are carrying a heck of a lot more traffic than usual, folks are spending more time driving but we are surviving. In the future when US 40 is renewed as I-64 many folks will have a MUCH easier commute, and that is what many roads are for.

Personally, I find that I am little effected as I hate 40 and know many ways to get places without using 40 BUT during construction, my routes are more crowded as others find ways to met there without 40.

Today is day 100 of the shutdown and reconstruction. As mentioned, it is not the entire stretch of I-64 that is shut down; it is only a portion of it west of the city of St Louis. So far, they've brought down 4 bridges, and, despite the bad weather that they've had, the experts say that they are still on track to finish this section on time. After that section is finished, they then move east for another section. That, in my opinion anyway, will be the part that impacts traffic the most. If anyone is familiar with the area, there are three main interstates running into downtown St Louis (I-70, I-64, and I-44), with 2 others ringing the area to the west (I'm only talking the Missouri side here); I-270 to the far west, and I-170, which runs through, essentially, the middle of St Louis county. The section of I-64 closed now is from I-270 east to I-170, leaving the main thoroughfare into downtown still open, although hindered by preparation work. I live off the 170 corridor, so, the closure hasn't impacted me much, unless I am going west. I can still get downtown in 20 minutes as I could before. I am dreading a year from now, when that trip will take me perhaps as long as 45 minutes or more. But, oh well, the only thing people can do is to deal with it; with 'progress' comes pain I guess!

stlouielady, In the past did you take 40 from 170 downtown? I used to take it from 170 to Kingshighway. Talk about a parking lot in rush hour!

I am hoping that AFTER all the work is done, that parking lot will no longer be there. During the time that 40 east of 170 is closed, folks will be finding alternate routes - best of luck to you

RRrich said:

stlouielady, In the past did you take 40 from 170 downtown? I used to take it from 170 to Kingshighway. Talk about a parking lot in rush hour!
I am hoping that AFTER all the work is done, that parking lot will no longer be there. During the time that 40 east of 170 is closed, folks will be finding alternate routes - best of luck to you

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Yes, in the past, and currently, I take highway 40 from 170 to downtown. I also take I-70 downtown. It all depends on where I'm heading, and when I go. I don't go during rush hour, because, yes, it can resemble a parking lot. However, at least here the traffic does move (maybe not at the desired speed), where as in other places, being stuck in traffic means you actually do not move for many minutes at a time (Las Vegas, LA, etc come to mind). I'm not concerned when the next section closes down; I'll just learn to leave earlier, and take the alternate route that I've already got planned out in my head. It doesn't take luck, it just takes common sense, a little planning, and simply leaving earlier for your destination. Unfortunately for a lot of drivers in the area, they lack three of those characteristics, which may cause lots of headaches in about a year. Although, I must say, when the west section originally closed, it wasn't nearly the 'disaster' that everyone was predicting. Guess we'll all just have to wait and see what happens as the construction heads east. So, I'll give the 'best of luck to you' right back to you also; guess we're both in this together.....

This money would be better spent on commuter rail.

Green Maned Lion said:

This money would be better spent on commuter rail.

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We have commuter rail here; Metro Metro St Louis, which consists of both busses and light rail. They recently expanded it to help with this reconstruction project.

Light rail of that nature isn't what I consider an efficient, effective, distinctly traffic eliminating commuter rail system.

This map of the New York City area commuter rail system is a better example, although it certainly could stand expansion. Notice how it covers a huge area, up to 120 miles or so from the City. Also notice its broad, multi-directional cover of areas of population.

Most people in North/Central New Jersey, south eastern New York, southern Connecticut, and Long Island are within a 30 minute drive of a commuter rail station serving New York City. So much so that commuting by rail into the City is a viable option for over half the population in that area.

In addition, New York City offers a fantastically comprehensive urban-rapid-mass transit system. Such that a car is simply not needed. Spending money on this system, such that I-64 would become redundant and uneeded, in my opinion, would be a better use of money.