ST. LOUIS - The Missouri Department of Transportation will unveil the latest addition to its travel information package Friday, May 11, 2007, when it launches its 511 travel information telephone number for St. Louis at the Transportation Management Center in Town and Country.

511 is the nationally -recognized travel information telephone number, similar to 911 for emergency information and 411 for phone information. With the launch of the service, travelers in St. Louis City and County, and Franklin, Jefferson and St. Charles counties will be able to get real-time travel information on interstates and major state routes by simply dialing three numbers.

The travel information number is a public service of the telecommunications industry, MoDOT and Traffic.com, a NAVTEQ company. The voice-operated phone number will give travelers the ability to get traffic speeds, incident and other pertinent information for their daily travel needs. Additionally, by registering on the co-sponsored MoDOT and Traffic.com website, travelers can get information on their routes sent directly to their telephone or e-mail accounts.

The 511 travel information service is free, though cellular users will pay normal airtime and roaming charges and pay-phone customers will pay the minimum pay-phone toll fee.

Daytime lane closures are scheduled for next week as soil testing continues on I-64 and some of its cross streets. Each day’s activities are described below:

Monday, April 30, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

I-64 will have one lane closed in each direction at Tamm Avenue.
I-64 will have one lane closed in each direction between Brentwood Boulevard and Hanley Road.
Westbound I-64 will have one lane closed at McCausland Avenue and one lane closed between Lindbergh Boulevard and Spoede Road.

9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
Expect rolling two-lane closures in both directions of I-64 between Spoede Road and Kingshighway Boulevard for surveying.

Tuesday, May 1, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

I-64 will have one lane closed in each direction at Tamm Avenue.
I-64 will have one lane closed in each direction between Brentwood Boulevard and Hanley Road.
Eastbound I-64 will have one lane closed at the Clayton-Warson exit ramp.

Wednesday, May 2, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

I-64 will have one lane closed in each direction at Tamm Avenue.
I-64 will have one lane closed in each direction between Brentwood Boulevard and Hanley Road.
Eastbound I-64 will have one lane closed at Hampton Avenue.

Thursday, May 3, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

I-64 will have one lane closed in each direction at Tamm Avenue.
I-64 will have one lane closed in each direction between Brentwood Boulevard and Hanley Road.

Friday, May 4, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

I-64 will have one lane closed in each direction at Tamm Avenue.
I-64 will have one lane closed in each direction between Brentwood Boulevard and Hanley Road. 

The I-64 website

HOW WILL WE ASSIST YOU IF YOU ARE STALLED OR INVOLVED IN A CRASH?
Motorist Assist operator can help change tires, provide fuel and perform other minor, short term repairs. If Motorist Assist cannot get an individual motorist moving again, they will provide a phone to call for additional help. They also help provide a safer situation for a stalled motorists by providing a safe buffer with their truck and emergency flashing lights (give them some room if you approach them on the highway).

If a motorists becomes stranded on an interstate highway patrolled by Motorist Assist, he or she is encouraged to pull as far off onto the right shoulder as possible and, if safe, wait with their vehicle for a Motorist Assist truck to arrive.

Since Motorist Assist stops at all vehicles that appear to have trouble, there is no need to call them. Unless there is an emergency, the average response time is 20 minutes. Do not leave your vehicle - we can’t help you if you are not there with your car.

In the event of an emergency, a motorist should call *55 on their mobile phone. If you are involved in a crash, move your vehicles to the RIGHT shoulder out of the lanes of traffic, then call *55 and get back in your vehicle.

It will provide the safest situation for you to await help and it’s the law.

Daytime lane closures are scheduled for next week as soil testing continues on I-64 and some of its cross streets. Each day’s activities are described below:
Monday, April 23 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Eastbound Eager Road will have one lane closed between Brentwood Boulevard and I-170 until 1:30 p.m.
Eastbound I-64 will have one lane closed at Tamm Avenue.
Northbound I-170 will have one lane closed at I-64.

Tuesday, April 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Eastbound I-64 will have one lane closed at Tamm Avenue.
Westbound I-64 will have one lane closed between Hampton Avenue and Tamm Avenue.

Wednesday, April 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Westbound I-64 will have one lane closed between Claytonia and Boland from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Westbound I-64 will have one lane closed between McCutcheon and Clayton-Warson from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Eastbound Eager Road will have one lane closed just east of I-170.

Thursday, April 26 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

I-64 will have one lane closed in each direction at the Tamm Avenue bridge.
The northbound lane of Lindbergh Boulevard will be closed at I-64 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Expect short term rolling lane closures in both directions of I-64 between McKnight Road and Bellevue Avenue and in both directions on I-170 between Eager Road and Galleria Parkway.
Southbound McCutcheon at I-64 will be closed from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Friday, April 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

I-64 will have one lane closed in each direction at the Tamm Avenue bridge.
Eastbound I-64 will have one lane closed at Lindbergh Boulevard until 1:00 p.m..
Northbound Spoede Road will have one lane closed at I-64 starting at 11:00 a.m.
Eastbound I-64 will have one lane closed between Clayton-Warson and McCutcheon.
Eastbound I-64 will have one lane closed between Hanley and Laclede Station from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, April 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Westbound I-64 will have one lane closed at McCausland.

Live traffic picture are available at www.gatewayguide.com

Construction information regarding I-64 is available at www.thenewi64.org

As it has been widely publicized Interstate 64, known to many in the metro area as Highway 40, is going to be closed in both directions in various phases for 2 years starting in 2008.

Many of the overpasses along the route will be closed this year.

There are many concerns however it appears that the Missouri Department of Transportation has done their due diligence and is providing alternative routes and plenty of information located at www.thenewi64.org.  You will also be able to get information at www.gatewayguide.com which should be fully functional by summer 2007.  MoDOT’s toll free line is available at 888-ASK-MODOT and the I-64/Highway 40 project line 314-524-9191 and you can get a live response.

Look for further announcements as further tools and information become available.