Page 2 Subscribe Online Now! Illinois Business Journal January 2021 270 Continued from Page 1

Page 2 Subscribe online now! www.ibjonline.com Illinois Business Journal January 2021 270 Continued from page 1 The 10.9-mile route is but one segment of an “outer belt free- way” around St. Louis. The piece of Interstate 270 from Illinois Route 3 to Interstate 55 in Troy was completed in 1965, and the 270 bridge over the Mississippi River was finished in 1966. Together, they re- placed the bulk of traffic that had been served by U.S. 66 and the old Chain of Rocks Bridge. A new Chain of Rocks Canal Bridge was constructed in 2015. The Interstate 270 river bridge will be rebuilt at a cost of $225 mil- lion as part of the overall plan, with funding by both states. Acquisition and contractor planning are underway. In Illinois, the interstate carries an average of 51,000 vehicles per day on its western end and an average of 54,100 on its eastern end, with approximately Map of Interstate 270, from the Riverview Drive interchange in Missouri to Illinois Route 157 in Glen Carbon 17 percent of that being truck volume. In Missouri, that state of Missouri has been actively rebuilding pieces of Inter- state 270 and interchanges from Belle- parallels 270 and runs south of it, will be ing the I-270 alignment. An S curve ford, Murphy & Tilly, said there are fontaine Road to McDonnell Boulevard. reconstructed and shifted farther south. alignment on the interstate provides several areas of the corridor where In Illinois, Phase 1 preliminary “The current 111 interchange can- a “sight-distance issue” that has been noise impact is expected to be an is- engineering is wrapping up. When done, not accommodate the anticipated traf- a factor in some of the accidents in- sue. Noise walls are only considered Brown said, it is anticipated that the fic demands,” Michael said. “The volving merging and exiting traffic. when feasible and reasonable, she said. project will receive design approval from existing cloverleaf design is expected “The removal of this reverse curve will People who might be affected, the Federal Highway Administration. to result in significant traffic conges- improve the operation of the interstate and and who will have a vote in the mat- Then, Phase 2 engineering, including final tion and both Route 111 and I-270 due safety at this interchange,” Michael said. ter, will receive a mailed invitation to design and construction bid documents to deficient geometric features.” A new bridge would be participate in an online/mailed poll. will begin and require 24 to 36 months Route 111 will have three travel built over Route 3. There are number of residences along to complete for each individual contract, lanes, both in northbound and south- Auxiliary lanes would be added to 270 between Illinois Route 111 and Old Brown said. Phase 3 is the actual con- bound directions. The outer lanes the entrance and exit ramps, needed to Alton Road, but the specifics on what struction, involving several contracts. will be dedicated to turning move- give trucks maneuvering room and to is needed is still being determined. Jim Michael, project manager with ments at the interchange ramps. provide length for trucks to acceler- “As soon as we get that tallied up, Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, said road- The interstate entrance ramps ate as they move to the interstate. those land owners will be contacted way improvements will include a mini- from 111 will be signalized. The structures that carry I-270 by our land acquisition department mum of three lanes on both eastbound The work is being done in part to ac- over St. Thomas Road and the Norfolk and we will start those conversations and westbound 270, with 12-foot paved commodate anticipated future expansion and Southern Railroad will be raised about exactly what is needed for the shoulders. An existing grass medium of the warehouses in that area, he said. and widened with new concrete deck project and what compensation is avail- will be converted to a paved median The interchange improvements are and beams to maintain clearance. able,” said Tiffany Brase, studies and with concrete barrier walls installed. set for two phases. The first is called the The interstate’s exit/entrance plans engineer with IDOT. Most of Auxiliary lanes will be added along Illinois Route 111 Interim. This encom- ramps intersecting Route 3 will be the needed land is vacant acreage. the route for merging purposes. passes 111 south of Chain of Rocks signalized. The state route will also Another environmental aspect being The vertical profile of the inter- Road, which will include the DDI and be reconstructed at those points. dealt with is the historical integrity of state will be raised to increase clear- the ramps. The remainder will be done as Illinois 3 will consist of two, 12- nearby Route 66, which is part of Chain ances over Illinois Route 3, the Union part of the ultimate 111 project that will foot lanes in either direction of travel; of Rocks Road. Efforts to minimize harm Pacific railroad, which has proposed include improvements north of Chain of the existing grass median will be main- are being incorporated into the plan, she future high speed passenger rail, and Rocks Road and to Chain of Rocks Road tained in its proposed condition; and dual said. Right now, the only work involv- over Illinois Route 111, Michael said. itself. The bridge that carries 270 over left turn lanes will be provided at both ing Route 66 is at the 111 intersection Much time was spent during the fall 111 will be rehabilitated and widened. ramp intersections for southbound traf- and the roundabouts mentioned above. forum describing the biggest change, The improvements to Chain of fic movements. One 12-foot, right-turn The exact plans are still to be designed. interchange wise, which will be a con- Rocks Road will include reconstruc- lane will also be provided at each of the version of the juncture of Illinois 111 tion of the Route 111 intersection and intersections for northbound Illinois 3. Sequences of construction and 270 into a diverging diamond in- the construction of round-abouts at the From Old Alton Road to Illinois They are: terchange, or DDI, for which IDOT Bel-Air Drive intersection and at the Route 203, there will be maintenance of In Fiscal Year 2021, IDOT will con- has received a grant as part of the Il- entrance to the Flying J truck plaza, the same interchange as currently exists. struct the diamond interchange at 111. linois Competitive Freight Program to respectively west and east of 111. Improvements to the bridge carrying the IDOT has funding in the multiyear help with financing the interchange. interstate over Old Alton Road and Route program for funding the 2022-2026 for The DDI differs from a tradition An overview of the work 203 and several railroads will consist of the new river bridge; to add lanes from interchange because of the design of the In all, there are 11 intersections widening the existing piers and replac- there to the new canal bridge; the re- directional crossovers on either side of to be improved or reconstructed, Mi- ing the deck and beams. Old Alton Road construction of the Route 3 interchange; the interchange. The design eliminates the chael said. Major work is planned will not be modified, but the existing to add lanes from Illinois 3 to just west need for left-turning vehicles to cross the at Route 3, Old Alton Road, 203, intersection ramp will be improved. of Route 203/Old Alton Road; and the paths of approaching through vehicles. By 111, and Chain of Rocks Road. Illinois 203’s profile will be raised intersection reconstruction at Illinois shifting the cross-through traffic to the left Here is an overview of to accommodate the grades of the exit Route 111 and Chain of Rocks Road. side of the road, between the signalized each portion of work: and entrance ramps to the interstate. The section of I-270 from just west crossover intersections, vehicles on the The Riverview Drive interchange, Northbound, the existing two lanes of of Route 203/Old Alton Road inter- crossroads do not conflict with vehicles the new bridge and the roadway between traffic on 203 will be maintained. How- change to the 270/255 interchange, approaching from other directions. the new bridges and canal will be part of ever, southbound , a single lane will including the ultimate improvement Operationally, it’s safer and more the overall bridge project. The new river be extended north of the interstate and to the 111 interchange, are the only efficient for traffic flow, Michael said. bridge will be wide enough to accom- will have a shoulder to also accommo- improvements currently unfunded. (A similar interchange can be modate three lanes in each direction. date bike traffic. At the northern ramp IDOT said it is working to en- found locally at Interstate 270 and With 10-foot shoulders, left and right. intersection, a single, 12-foot left turn sure that closures affecting traf- Dorsett Road in Maryland Heights.) The new canal bridge already lane will be provided for the south- fic are kept to a minimum. Improvements at the Illinois 111 has three lanes but only four-foot bound directions of travel. New signal “Obviously, we have learned a means changes will also be needed shoulders. Improvements will be lim- will provide at the main intersections. lot recently with I-255 interstate clo- to existing Chain of Rocks Road, ited to simple pavement marking and The study area ends at 157 to the east.

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