MoDOT Issues Worst Travel Times Warning

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) said there are certain times to avoid areas of Highway 40, including the stretch through .

MoDOT staff reminds drivers that with kids out of school and families taking vacations, summer brings traffic flow changes and changes the worst travel times during the peak hours. 

To better understand area traffic, MoDOT traffic engineers conduct a monthly analysis of travel speeds. Most recently, they said there is increasing congestion on the stretch of Highway 40 from Route 94 in St. Charles County to Spoede Road in St. Louis County.

This recent report focuses on eastbound travel from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and westbound travel from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

In a news release, MoDOT issued the following results for the morning commute:

• Travel times begin to slow down between 7 and 7:30 a.m.
• The worst time to travel is between 7:30 and 8 a.m.
• Travel times don’t fully improve until after 8:30 a.m. especially at the slow down spot of eastbound Highway 40 between Route 141 and Mason Road.

Here are the results for the evening commute:

• Travel times begin to slow down between 4 and 5 p.m.
• The worst time to travel is between 5 and 5:45 p.m.
• Travel times don’t fully improve until after 6:15 p.m. especially at the Missouri River bridge, which has a reduced speed limit due to its narrow conditions.

“By knowing the worst time to travel, we are asking all I-64 drivers to consider adjusting their travel times to spread out the peak demand. By leaving 15 minutes earlier or waiting until closer to the end of the peak period, you could actually get to your destination faster,” Tom Blair, MoDOT assistant district engineer said in a news release. “It’s not feasible to widen the highway due to the extreme costs that it would entail, but we can all work together to spread out the demand on the road.”

MoDOT is also advising drivers to consider carpooling and other east and west travel routes, including Route 364 to the north and Interstate 44 to the south. 

Click here for a full report on the Highway 40 travel analysis. The data represents normal conditions from June 1-10. 

For real-time traffic information, visit MoDOT’s traffic site at www.gatewayguide.com.