ST. CHARLES COUNTY — An inter-government planning agency has announced that it will dedicate $39 million to add an extra lane to Interstate 70 in Wentzille at the notorious “S-curve” just east of Wentzville Parkway.

The East-West Gateway Council of Governments (EWGCOG) Board of Directors voted last week to approve the funding in its Transportation Improvement Program to fix what it called “The No. 1 bottleneck in the St. Louis region.” EWGCOG includes representatives from St. Charles, St. Louis and Franklin counties, as well several counties in Illinois.

“I am so pleased this project is finally being funded,” said Steve Ehlmann, the St. Charles County executive and an EWGCOG board member. “As those who frequently travel that stretch of I-70 know, there is severe congestion in that area, which is a detriment to quality of life, as well as economic growth.”

In 2020, MoDOT identified funding and included the project in its 2021-2025 Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan. The funding was approved earlier this year.

The plan calls for additional lanes to be added to I-70 under the railroad bridge in Wentzville. The daily bottleneck on the interstate, due to the curve of the highway and limited number of lanes between Route Z and Wentzville Parkway, causes delays for those trying to get home, as well as for freight trucks traveling through the region. The Norfolk Southern Railroad overpass is rated high in three areas of an annual congestion report – severity of congestion, total impact to the traveling public, and congestion variability. It is ranked #36 in the nation’s worst bottlenecks.

Construction on the project will begin in 2023.