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Local and Rural Road Safety | May 2021
Crosswalk graphic.
Source: FHWA
“I was particularly impressed with the effort to include the community; this outreach was beneficial in the sell of the project.”
- John Miller, Federal Highway Administration, Missouri Division Office
In 2017, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) worked with leaders and local law enforcement in the city of St. Louis to conduct a road safety audit (RSA) for a four-mile roadway called Natural Bridge. The results of the audit indicated that the road experienced a higher crash rate than similar roads in the state; crashes were mostly due to improper lane use, speeding, and pedestrians not crossing at crosswalks.
After the RSA, MoDOT conducted an outreach campaign to business owners, residents, and individuals who work and travel through the area to understand the community’s needs and recommend solutions for all roadway users. They found that the top priority for those who live and work along Natural Bridge is to slow traffic to match the posted speed limit and improve safety for all users traveling on and crossing the roadway.
To address the safety issues along the Natural Bridge corridor, MoDOT is investing $5.4 million within the city limits. The roadway will be resurfaced and a number of proven safety countermeasures will be added including: a road diet (road reconfiguration), roundabouts, mid-block crosswalks with rapid flashing beacons and additional crosswalk lighting, medians at various locations, yellow reflective back plates at traffic signals, and higher visibility crosswalk striping. Construction on the project started in August 2020 and is expected to be complete in fall 2021.
The community engagement during this project was extremely important to understand the needs of all users. Through this effort, there was an education element with the public on how these countermeasures will reduce speeding and improve safety. This outreach will ultimately result in increased awareness of the issues and help the public understand that the project’s purpose is to improve the quality of life for all roadway users in the corridor.
Natural Bridge Resurfacing and Safety Project
Additional information on countermeasures used for this project
RSPCB Program Point of Contact
Felix Delgado, FHWA Office of Safety
Felix.Delgado@dot.gov
FHWA Office of Safety
Staff and Primary Work Responsibilities
FHWA Office of Safety
Safety and Design Team
FHWA Resource Center
