The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has so many highway improvements needs, and is falling behind every day, that the priorities are piling up, reaching the height of the state Capitol dome.One of them is Interstate 270, the outer belt in St. Louis County that wraps around the west section of the metro area. It connects with I-70, I-64, I-44 and I-55. It’s a congested roadway, at almost any time of the day or night.I-270 is a vital transportation link!It is not feasible, for the most part, to add any more lanes. Then what’s the answer?The answer could be Highway 47 between Warrenton and St. Clair, passing through Washington and Union.Because of a lack of funds, Highway 47 has been downgraded in the project priority column. It’s going to be improved piecemeal, beginning in Union, where its intersection with Highway 50 poses a major need for improvements.With an improved Highway 47 (four lanes), traffic from I-70 and I-44 could bypass I-270.For 50 or more years, we’ve heard there are no funds to improve Highway 47. If the state wants to do something to address the I-270 problems, Highway 47 is an answer. It wouldn’t be a cure-all, but it would relieve congestion.The state needs to consider Highway 47 as a relief measure for I-270. There is no other route to study that could bring relief to I-270.