Look How Missouri Route 109 will Change in Wildwood

Missouri Route 109, between Missouri Route 100 and Clayton Road, has an accident rate about twice that of other similar roadways in Missouri, Wildwood and state officials indicate.

Many of these crashes are due to congestion or subdivision residents attempting to turn left through cross traffic, said Wildwood director of public works and city engineer Ryan Thomas. To provide a more seamless construction period, Wildwood city council members at the Dec. 10 meeting voted to consolidate construction activities with Missouri Department of Transporation's plans into a single construction project.

See previous articles for background details:

Missouri Route 109 Widening: What's the Plan?

Missouri Route 109 Widening: Wildwood Residents React

Thomas said MoDOT representatives will handle the bidding and construction of the consolidated project, including all inspections for improvements. Wildwood's prepayment will be:

• Route 109 Widening, including a new roundabout at Missouri Route 100:  $1,060,680.
• Pond-Grover Loop Road:  $1,358,369.

Wildwood received 80 percent federal funding for improvements to Missouri Route 109, not to exceed $4,505,418. City staffers will extend the Pond-Grover Loop Road to the west of Missouri Route 100 with local funding, said Thomas.

MoDOT is responsible for the roundabout at the intersection of Route 109 and Pond-Grover Loop Road.

Wildwood city council member Debra Smith McCutchen, Ward 5, at the Dec. 10 meeting asked about funding for a sound wall to cushion the disruptance to residents who live along the portion of Route 109 that will be the most heavily congested. Thomas said a sound study was completed by authorities, but no sound wall was planned based on the results.

He explained the study encompassed increased traffic projections over the next 20 years, although he admitted he is not an expert in sound studies.

"Only one short segment between Babler View and Lafayette High would've qualified," said Thomas, who explained the study results didn't match up with the financial criteria applied to such considerations, especially considering population densities.

McCutchen said the current sound levels on Route 109 in that area already are high.

Thomas said this segement could see reduced speed limits, which also would contribute toward lesser sound pollution.

MuCutchen said by not erecting sound abatement in the area, the city was not addressing the residents' quality of life there.

"Sound abatement could be considered, but if the area doesn't meet the overall industry criteria, I believe that's setting a dangerous precedent," said Thomas.

Wildwood council member Dave Bertolino, Ward 5, asked if sound abatement could be reconsidered in the future if and when more houses were constructed in the segment.

"After the project is done, we won't ignore this issue, and we can have the sound readings verified," said Thomas.

McCutchen said she believed it was still a situation that will result in increased sound issues for those who live in the immediate vicinity, but that she was hearing the funding to abate was considered too costly.

Other Missouri Route 109 changes include a foot bridge and a second roundabout.

Schedule for Widening of Missouri Route 109 Project, per MoDOT:

What do think about all the proposed changes to the Missouri Routes 109 and 100 area?