Lake Area Road Improvements Finalized - Amendment 7

UPDATE:  Amendment 7 failed to be approved by voters on August 5th, 2014.  Based on a statement made by the Chairman of the Highways and Transportation Commission, it seems the state believes voters just don't understand the circumstances, that funding is needed to make these kinds of improvements. I do not think this is the case, Missourians would welcome the projects listed below and well understand they require funding, but they simply do not want that funding coming from a general regressive tax such as on sales.  Try overhauling the gas tax.
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Should voters approve the State Constitution 7th Amendment to temporarily increase sales tax 3/4% for highway improvements, the Missouri Dept.of Transportation has a finalized list of projects for funding. Statewide, the majority of the money, some $500 million, would go toward converting Interstate 70 into six lanes from St.Louis to Kansas City, but the Lake area would also get much needed improvements.  The largest of these would be a new interchange at Hwy 54 and Hwy W at an estimated $13.28 million dollars. It is unclear whether this new interchange would be located near the Business 54 exit at Bagnell Dam where a roundabout was recently installed to access Hwy W.

The second largest project at $5.53 million is the resurfacing and adding shoulders on Rte 42 from Rte 17 to Rte 63, a popular route for those coming from southwest St.Louis off I-44.

The third largest project, at $2.92 million is the resurfacing and addition of shoulders on Rte W from Rte 5 to Rte Y.  This route is heavily used by the local community and often used by those coming from the northwest heading towards Osage Beach.  Hwy W is a twisting, turning road and a main route along the "north shore" and badly in need of shoulders and resurfacing.

Other projects listed for the area:

Construct a sidewalk on Osage Beach Parkway from Mace Road to Rte D in Osage Beach

Replace/repair Rte PP bridge over Messer Creek Morgan Road and Bridge

Add center turn lane to Rte 52 from Fairground Road to Rte 5 in Versailles Morgan Road and Bridge

Resurface and add shoulders on Rte O from Rte 5 to end of state route Morgan Road and Bridge

Replace/repair Rte V bridge over Linn Creek

Replace/repair Rte D bridge over Bank Branch

Replace/repair Rte A bridge over Conns Creek

Replace/repair Rte A bridge over Tavern Creek

Fixed funding contribution for infrastructure improvements at Camdenton Memorial Airport Camden Aviation

Fixed funding contribution for new terminal facility, parking lot and hangars for Lee C. Fine Memorial Airport in Osage Beach.

New Roundabout for W and Business 54

This is great news for the area.  MODOT will be constructing a new roundabout for the intersection of Hwy W and Business 54 starting tonight.  This intersection has been a source of many accidents, thankfully none fatal, over the past five years and is very confusing.  The roundabout will slow things down for everyone, but should dramatically reduce, if not eliminate accidents.  Construction is supposed to be completed by Tuesday.

Update:  Now that the new "turnstile" has been in use for a few weeks I think MODoT needs to expand the roundabout even larger.  The problem is that the circle is so small that it is difficult to establish right of way easily.  Most roundabouts are large enough that yielding to traffic already in the circle is obvious and intuitive. When small like this it reverts back to something more like a stop sign intersection.