By Tim Schmidt Record Managing Editor A long-awaited project to widen a stretch of Highway F began this week. The shoulder improvements will cover 1.6 miles from the Highway M intersection to Oakwood Estates, north of the entrance to Innsbrook Resort. The project consists of constructing 4-foot-wide, 6-inch-thick aggregate shoulders which will require extending crossroad culverts and grading roadside ditches. The work is being performed by N.B. West Contracting. The St. Louis company was awarded the project with a low bid of $254,084. Traffic will be reduced to one lane with flaggers controlling traffic when needed at the work zone, according to MoDOT. The project has been a priority for years for Innsbrook officials, who believe a wider Highway F will be safer for motorists and cyclists traveling the roadway. Officials caution that the curvy stretch doesn’t allow enough room for motorists to safely pull over even in the case of a flat tire. “The main reasoning is safety,” Village of Innsbrook Administrator Chris McCormick said. The contract calls for the project to be completed in 60 days, but the contractor estimates it should only take about 30 days, according to McCormick. The contractor has shown a willingness to adjust the work schedule around the July 4 holiday weekend, she added. Each year, Innsbrook Resort hosts a fireworks show that draws hundreds of visitors. “We are trying to eliminate any delays,” McCormick said. Village officials have been working for years to have Highway F widened. Some of the delays were caused as Innsbrook worked to annex the portion of the road into the village, as well as identify funding. Innsbrook has received a $200,000 loan from the Missouri Transportation Finance Corporation, which will be paid for with revenue from the village’s monthly motor vehicle fuel tax fund. The tax money can only be used for transportation-related matters, officials noted. Due to the expense, shoulder improvements are being broken down into two phases. A second phase would focus on widening the remaining stretch of Highway F to the area where state maintenance ends, though no time frame has been determined for that stretch. McCormick complimented MoDOT for its assistance on the project. “They have been very helpful with the project,” she said.
Project to widen stretch of Highway F begins
