HIGH POINT, Mo. -- A roundabout may be coming to High Point.
The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is seeking feedback for improving safety at the Missouri 87-Route C intersection during an open-house 4:30-6 p.m. Thursday in the High Point R-III School cafeteria, 60909 Route C. MoDOT representatives will be present to provide details about the project alongside exhibits displaying the planned work, as well as answering questions, and noting comments and concerns.
Mia Peters, MoDOT project manager, said the discussion comes after years of accidents at the intersection, despite prior attempts to improve safety. She said MoDOT records indicate there had been a crash with two fatalities, along with one crash with serious injuries and 12 0ther crashes, in the past five years at the intersection. Despite adding warning systems -- from warning lights and signs to rumble strips -- the trend has continued since 2000.
"Those (warning systems) don't seem like they've been effective in reducing the crashes, so we feel like there needs to be some change done there as far as a MoDOT project to improve the conditions," Peters said.
Moniteau County Emergency Dispatch records showed 17 crashes have occurred at the intersection since August 2020, two of which had confirmed injuries and four with possible injuries.
Peters said MoDOT is considering installing a roundabout at the intersection, which she added has successfully reduced crashes -- and reduced the severity of crashes that do occur -- throughout Missouri and the rest of the country.
"Our traffic department did also consider a signal, but they feel like a roundabout is a better solution for this location," Peters said.
Peters said a 2019 count found around 1,200 vehicles travel along Missouri 87 each day, while Route C supports nearly 1,900 vehicles per day. According to the project page on MoDOT's website, the intersection averages 12 crashes -- with at least one resulting in a fatality or serious injuries -- every five years.
People who cannot attend the meeting can learn more about the project -- along with leaving questions, comments and concerns for the design team -- by visiting the project page at bit.ly/48W8XS4. The project page said MoDOT anticipates to start work on the intersection in 2025.
Democrat photo/Garrett Fuller — An interactive flashing yellow light is seen Sunday (Jan. 28, 2024,) as a vehicle travels northbound on Missouri 87 through the Missouri 87-Route C intersection near High Point. The Missouri Department of Transportation is holding an open-house meeting 4:30-6 p.m. Thursday at the High Point R-III School, 60909 Route C, to discuss plans to improve safety at the intersection by installing a roundabout. An exhibit showing the planned project will be on display during the meeting as MoDOT representatives walk through the changes, answer questions, and listen to comments and concerns.