1,000 signatures reached
To: MoDot, Jefferson County, and State of Missouri Officials
Safety on Highway M in Barnhart
CHANGE THE CURRENT PLAN FOR J- TURNS ... Push to install TRAFFIC LIGHTS at both the Hwy M and Moss Hollow and the Hwy M and St Luke's Church Road intersections for the safety of First Responders, Students, and Families and Residents.
Why is this important?
UPDATE: This Petition was started a few years ago after a fatal accident on Highway M in Barnhart, Missouri. That particular accident involved a mother of a student killed after dropping her son off for the day. At that time, the petition was setup, news channels were contacted and many communications were had over the following months with MoDot official, Judy Wagner.
The request was submitted to Install traffic lights at Hwy M /St Lukes Church Rd and Hwy M / Moss Hollow Road AND DENIED AT THE TIME WITH MANY REASONS WHY THEY WOULD NOT DO THIS, the main reason given was that the install of traffic lights would cost too much at around $1 million. NOW THE J-TURN project is estimated to cost $1 million. Also stated that stop lights do not work. ROCKPORT School has a stoplight in front of their school as do many other emergency houses in the area that just have flashing lights during the day and become operational during PRIME HOURS needed such as morning and evening rush hours for school and those leaving for and coming home from work. The emergency houses would also have access to have the lights operate when they are in need to leave for emergencies.
There are First Responder Houses (Antonia Fire Protection District and Rock Township Ambulance District House 4) as well as Antonia Middle School at those intersections. This results in a large number of school buses and families with children being forced to pull out onto Hwy M, crossing multiple lanes of traffic. These intersections absent of traffic lights with the factor of high speeds by drivers has proven to be hazardous AND CONTINUES TO BE HAZARDOUS TWO YEARS LATER WITH NO CHANGES BY LEGISLATURE AND MODOT. The amount of accidents due to high-speed and excessive traffic on Hwy M is becoming more frequent at both of these intersections, resulting in fatalities and injuries. First Responders were involved while attempting to respond to a call, resulting in injuries and delay for those needing the fire department. There are a number of families in both of these areas that send their children on school buses that are given no other option than to merge across a four-lane highway to transport the children to and from school. At Moss Hollow and Highway M, the traffic coming and going has increased now that the new Estates at Moss Hollow is complete and close to 100 new families moved into the area. (ADDING MINIMUM 100 NEW DRIVERS DAILY). There are MANY kids approaching the driving age so new drivers will be embarking on those intersections as well.
Let's take safety into consideration and push Jefferson County to install traffic lights and NOT the proposed J turns AT BOTH INTERSECTIONS for the residents of Barnhart AND SLOW DOWN THE SPEED LIMIT IN A SCHOOL ZONE.
As of June 2019 I was informed by Judy Wagner that the proposed construction review was being added to the “ Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan for review.” She informed me that in December 2019 they had met with families in Williamsburg to address this issue and I wa stood other affected subdivisions, including Fountains would be contacted in Spring 2020 to have community forum... I can only assume due to COVID that didn’t happen.
CONSIDERATION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN FOR ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS AT MOSS HOLLOW AND THE CONTINUED POSSIBILITY OF GROWTH ON THE ANTONIA CAMPUS, FUTURE ADDITION OF NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, INCREASING TRAFFIC ON ST LUKES CHURCH ROAD SIGNIFICANTLY SO THIS WARRANTS MAKING CHANGES TO INTERSECTIONS AND LOWERING SPEEDS ALONG HIGHWAY M FOR THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE AND OUR CHILDREN.
J turns will greatly affect emergency crews, residents and school bus transportation.
THIS PETITION WILL ONCE AGAIN BE SHARED WHEN SIGNED AFTER A FEW WEEKS IN HOPES OF EXPRESSING CONCERN AS A COMMUNITY AND GETTING SOMETHING DONE SOONER THAN TWO YEARS FROM NOW.
I HAVE UPDATED TO INCLUDE NEW MODOT AND COMMITTEE CONTACTS.
The request was submitted to Install traffic lights at Hwy M /St Lukes Church Rd and Hwy M / Moss Hollow Road AND DENIED AT THE TIME WITH MANY REASONS WHY THEY WOULD NOT DO THIS, the main reason given was that the install of traffic lights would cost too much at around $1 million. NOW THE J-TURN project is estimated to cost $1 million. Also stated that stop lights do not work. ROCKPORT School has a stoplight in front of their school as do many other emergency houses in the area that just have flashing lights during the day and become operational during PRIME HOURS needed such as morning and evening rush hours for school and those leaving for and coming home from work. The emergency houses would also have access to have the lights operate when they are in need to leave for emergencies.
There are First Responder Houses (Antonia Fire Protection District and Rock Township Ambulance District House 4) as well as Antonia Middle School at those intersections. This results in a large number of school buses and families with children being forced to pull out onto Hwy M, crossing multiple lanes of traffic. These intersections absent of traffic lights with the factor of high speeds by drivers has proven to be hazardous AND CONTINUES TO BE HAZARDOUS TWO YEARS LATER WITH NO CHANGES BY LEGISLATURE AND MODOT. The amount of accidents due to high-speed and excessive traffic on Hwy M is becoming more frequent at both of these intersections, resulting in fatalities and injuries. First Responders were involved while attempting to respond to a call, resulting in injuries and delay for those needing the fire department. There are a number of families in both of these areas that send their children on school buses that are given no other option than to merge across a four-lane highway to transport the children to and from school. At Moss Hollow and Highway M, the traffic coming and going has increased now that the new Estates at Moss Hollow is complete and close to 100 new families moved into the area. (ADDING MINIMUM 100 NEW DRIVERS DAILY). There are MANY kids approaching the driving age so new drivers will be embarking on those intersections as well.
Let's take safety into consideration and push Jefferson County to install traffic lights and NOT the proposed J turns AT BOTH INTERSECTIONS for the residents of Barnhart AND SLOW DOWN THE SPEED LIMIT IN A SCHOOL ZONE.
As of June 2019 I was informed by Judy Wagner that the proposed construction review was being added to the “ Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan for review.” She informed me that in December 2019 they had met with families in Williamsburg to address this issue and I wa stood other affected subdivisions, including Fountains would be contacted in Spring 2020 to have community forum... I can only assume due to COVID that didn’t happen.
CONSIDERATION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN FOR ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS AT MOSS HOLLOW AND THE CONTINUED POSSIBILITY OF GROWTH ON THE ANTONIA CAMPUS, FUTURE ADDITION OF NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, INCREASING TRAFFIC ON ST LUKES CHURCH ROAD SIGNIFICANTLY SO THIS WARRANTS MAKING CHANGES TO INTERSECTIONS AND LOWERING SPEEDS ALONG HIGHWAY M FOR THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE AND OUR CHILDREN.
J turns will greatly affect emergency crews, residents and school bus transportation.
THIS PETITION WILL ONCE AGAIN BE SHARED WHEN SIGNED AFTER A FEW WEEKS IN HOPES OF EXPRESSING CONCERN AS A COMMUNITY AND GETTING SOMETHING DONE SOONER THAN TWO YEARS FROM NOW.
I HAVE UPDATED TO INCLUDE NEW MODOT AND COMMITTEE CONTACTS.