INTERCHANGE RELOCATION ON 54 EXPRESSWAY WILL BE BIG BOOST TO LAKE OZARK & NEIGHBORS

INTERCHANGE RELOCATION ON 54 EXPRESSWAY WILL BE BIG BOOST TO LAKE OZARK & NEIGHBORS

By Stan Burnette, Transportation Consultant
Lake of the Ozarks Transportation Council
March 17, 2006

It looks very possible, today, that the combination of local leadership and MoDOT flexibility will provide a once-in-a-lifetime mobility boost to the Lake Ozark community…its neighbors situated on Horseshoe Bend and Shawnee Bend…and to everyone who would use a new, east-west corridor from the 54 Expressway through Lake Ozark and over the Community Bridge.

Thanks to lots of last-minute creativity and cooperation between local leaders and MoDOT’s District 5 personnel, a green light has been given to a proposed relocation of a US 54 Expressway Interchange to open-up the Lake Ozark area for improved mobility, better safety, and planned future development.

Single Interchange Will Serve Full Lake Ozark Area

The proposal is to move the Bus. 54 interchange for the 54 Expressway approximately 1/3 of a mile to the Northeast so that a single interchange can connect Bus. 54, the existing Horseshoe Bend Parkway, and the Community Bridge to what is being labeled the Horseshoe Bend Interchange for the US 54 Expressway. An extension of the Horseshoe Bend Parkway is proposed by the Horseshoe Bend Parkway Development to provide the connection through presently undeveloped land in Lake Ozark.

The final details of the configuration and precise location for the new interchange are yet to be approved. But at this time, certain things are almost sure to happen:

1. Lake Ozark gains another connecting point with existing 54.

The intersection connecting Bus. 54 and existing US54 near the Baymont Inn will flow traffic as it is done now.
With the new plan, the Horseshoe Bend Parkway extension will provide access to existing 54 at the new Horseshoe Bend Parkway interchange.

2. New Interchange will provide direct access to the new Expressway.

The new Horseshoe Bend Parkway extension will provide direct, easy access to the new Expressway from Bus. 54 and the Community Bridge. The multi-directional interchange will allow traffic to flow in either direction on the Expressway.

MoDOT Has Laid Out Conditions to Make It Happen

The interchange relocation is not a “done deal” yet, but events are moving in a positive direction.

It is our understanding that…
Positive local support has been demonstrated satisfactorily to State officials to allow MoDOT to proceed with the steps to finalize the change.

The Horseshoe Bend Development Group and the city of Lake Ozark have received a letter from MoDOT laying out the conditions that must be addressed to move forward with the project. Both the development group and the City of Lake Ozark have commitments to make. This change must not adversely affect the present time frame for completing the Expressway…and the projections of cost and traffic flow capability must be determined to be satisfactory. Hopefully, these conditions will all be attainable.

The interchange relocation must not result in any new costs to MoDOT. This means that local interests must cover any additional costs for the Expressway, if any, which may include the costs for the additional expressway distance of approximately 3/8 of a mile to the northeast of the present Bus. 54 location. MoDOT has agreed to take over the design of the new Interchange. This is very, very important. It will keep the design compatible to MoDOT standards right from the start, and will provide answers to key questions on a timely basis: MoDOT can develop a cost estimate for the project to satisfy the need to proceed without additional cost to the State.

Traffic engineers can determine if, in fact, the interchange should be able to handle traffic volumes projected for the future at the Lake.

Relocating Interchange Is A “Win-Win” Deal!

This is a big, big deal for the overall Lake area – and, of course, very dramatic for Lake Ozark and surrounding areas. Growth can be managed because the highway infrastructure will be in place…and quality of life can be protected, even improved, through better mobility and greater safety.

Residents need to understand how rare it is that major new highway facilities like the Expressway (and MO 5 on the West side) can be provided to an area in this short period of time. Five years to construct and complete major highways like those planned for the Lake is “over-night” in the highway business…and seldom accomplished.

Bonding, funded by Amendment 3 passed by Missouri voters in 2004, is what makes this rapid construction program possible. Now – creative cooperation between Lake Ozark officials, the developer team and MoDOT are making the Expressway even better than the original plan, without interrupting the tight time schedule.

The proposed interchange relocation is even more dramatic when you realize that Lake Ozark would not necessarily have been granted this “win-win” deal in the original plan. Improved access to the Expressway would occur only if a second interchange is approved (and funded). And since no one at this time knows where to find the $6-8 million for the second interchange, this solution, shown as “proposed’ on present Expressway plans (published on this web site) is very much up in the air.

Because of the uncertainty of this proposed interchange, MoDOT District 5 personnel and local leaders in Lake Ozark have continued to discuss the problem. Fortunately, a new plan surfaced to relocate the interchange to the betterment of all parties.

Well Done, MoDOT and Lake Ozark Leadership

Congratulations to public and private-sector leadership in Lake Ozark for gaining a green light on this very important interchange relocation.

Thanks, MoDOT, for continuing to search for a creative solution to ensure that the Expressway unlocks the dynamic potential for managed growth in this vital part of the Lake of the Ozarks.

MoDOT District 5 personnel, Mayor Paul Sale, Lake Ozark City Administrator Charles Clark, and the Horseshoe Bend Parkway Development team are all to be complimented for bringing this proposed solution to the table. Timely public meetings developed great enthusiasm. The backing of the Lake of the Ozarks Transportation Council helped. Positive, timely support from the Community Bridge Corporation was important.

Now, if the stars stay in alignment, this creative plan will work. The benefits are fantastic. And it can happen, now, in this decade, as a part of the 54 Expressway construction program starting this year.

Everyone wins!

Benefits of Relocated 54 Expressway Interchange as Presented to Lake Ozark Citizens in Public Meeting 3-02-06

Provides certainty that Lake Ozark will not be by-passed by the Expressway.
Positive benefits for future of communities around Lake Ozark…existing and planned developments on Horseshoe Bend and Shawnee Bend…and areas to the west over the Community Bridge.
Relieves traffic load on Business 54 that will allow this artery to provide better mobility and safety to businesses, churches, and residents.
Puts highway infrastructure in place to manage growth in the future.
Improves public safety by providing much improved access/mobility for emergency vehicles.
Opens more than 800 acres for planned development in Lake Ozark.
Should allow the Community Bridge to meet increased debt-service requirements without a toll increase because of additional traffic generated by new developments.
Relieves problem with limiting size of commercial vehicles on Dam by providing another access/exit point for Lake Ozark.
Travel time savings reduces delays for motorists.
Provides a connection to the Community Bridge for a new MO 42 that ultimately needs to connect areas southeast of the Lake to a new highway going West and Northwest on what is now MM, TT, and F.

A “WIN-WIN’ DEAL FOR EVERYBODY.

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