ST. JAMES — The expansion of U.S. Highways 63 and 50 to four-lane corridors are the number one and two regional transportation priorities, respectively, the Meramec Region’s Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) confirmed at its Dec. 11 meeting.

The proposed projects on Highway 63 and Highway 50 have topped the regional priority list for several years.

Once the top regional projects were determined, TAC members from each county shared the top four additional transportation needs from their counties. Each TAC member selected high, medium and low priorities from a list of 32 projects. Those selections were tabulated and weighted to determine a prioritized list of needs for the region.

The TAC’s priorities for the upcoming year are as follows, in order of priority:

Top regional priorities

1. Four-laning of U.S. 63 from U.S. 50 in Osage County to the Phelps/Texas County line;

2. Four-laning of U.S. 50 from about one mile west of Linn to the Gasconade/Franklin County line;

High priority

• Add southbound turn lanes on U.S. 63 to Highway 28 near Vichy in Maries County;

• Improve safety to bridge over Cherry Valley Branch on Highway 19 in Crawford County;

• Address flooding concerns on I-44 near Jerome in Phelps County;

• Address flooding concerns of bridge over Crooked Creek on Route TT in Dent County;

• Improve safety and traffic control on I-44 and Highway 72 interchange in Phelps County;

• Improve U.S. 50 from County Road 604 west of Linn to Highway 89 in Linn in Osage County;

• Address flooding concerns on Highway 100 east of Hermann and west of Frene Creek near the fire department in Gasconade County;

• Install left turn lane on Highway 19 at Lindburg Road in Crawford County;

Medium priority

• Replace bridge over Bailey Creek on Highway 100 in Gasconade County;

• Replace the bridge over Wallen Creek on Route U in Washington County;

• Improve safety at the Y intersection of U.S. 63 and Highway 28 south of Vienna in Maries County;

• Add northbound turn lane on Highway 21 at Purcell Drive in Washington County;

• Address safety concerns at intersection of Highway 19 and Roosevelt Street in Dent County;

• Improve intersection at Highway 21 and Diamond Drive in Washington County;

• Improve corridor, including widening to 4-lane U.S. 63 entire way through Phelps County;

• Address safety concerns on bridge over Roubidoux on Route H in Pulaski County;

• Address safety improvements to intersection of Route E and 63 in Osage County;

• Address safety concerns at industrial park entrance from Highway 28 to north city limits on Highway 19 in Gasconade County;

• Convert overpass to interchange at the junction of Route FF and I-44 in Crawford County;

• Replace bridge over Bourbeuse River on Highway 19 in Gasconade County;

• Address safety concern at intersection of Glassy Road and Heyer Road on MO 19 in Crawford County;

Low priority

• Improve safety along MO 28 throughout Maries County;

• Replace bridge over Earle Creek on Route F in Phelps County;

• Improve intersection of Highway 28 and I-44 in Pulaski County;

• Add a new Missouri River crossing to connect Highway 94 to Highway 100 near Chamois in Osage County;

• Improve safety at the Y intersection and T intersection of Highways 42 and 133 in Maries County;

• Address flooding and safety concerns of Tavern Creek Bridge on Route U in Pulaski County;

• Improve intersection at Highway 8 and Ameren Drive in Washington County;

• Improve safety along entire route of Highway 119 in Dent County;

• Improve safety along entire route of Route B in Dent County

• Address safety improvements on Highway 133 coming out of Richland headed to Swedeborg in Pulaski County; and,

• Address safety concerns at the intersection of U.S. 50 and Highway 100 in Osage County.

The TAC approved the priority list and later that evening recommended the prioritized list to the board of Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC). MRPC also approved the list. MRPC will now share the list with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Central District office for consideration for inclusion in MoDOT’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The STIP is a five-year rolling plan for design and construction projects, which means new projects are added each year.

The priority list is an annual planning exercise for the TAC. The TAC revisits its priority list annually to provide MoDOT with an updated needs list as it considers projects for the STIP. The work starts with county-level meetings each year that are open to the public.

MRPC also accepts road, bridge and multimodal needs and suggestions from the public at any time throughout the year to be added to the list for discussion. Those needs can be submitted by emailing Planning Manager Anne Freand at afreand@meramecregion.org or by calling MRPC at 573-265-2993.