Questions Detours for Bridge Work

Strangers and tractor-trailer truck drivers would have a hard time traveling these back roads during daylight hours, let alone during nighttime.

Why wasn’t the I-44 through traffic to and from St. Louis detoured over Highway 30 at St. Clair, instead of over miles of narrow two-lane, dangerous, blacktop, back roads, with no or limited shoulders, steep hills, sharp curves and across busy railroad tracks (Union Pacific and Burlington Northern) in Pacific?

A detour sign with a left turn arrow was placed on Route F in Pacific, two blocks south of Osage Street (Old 66) at the busy railroad crossing. If drivers followed the directions on this sign, they would turn left onto St. Louis Street, instead of Osage Street. Also, the timing of the electric traffic signal at the intersection of Highway F and Osage Street wasn’t properly adjusted to handle the large volume of traffic coming from Highway F.

Why wasn’t the traffic on Highway F detoured east onto Osage Street to I-44 at Eureka (Allenton), instead of going about one mile west on Osage Street, through Pacific, to the Lamar Parkway interchange?

These observations and questions are being raised, so, those who designate these detour routes can consider them in the future, if another detour is necessary.