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O'Fallon staff seek county partnership to build Lake St. Louis Boulevard extension; residents raise environmental concerns
Summary
City staff updated the council on the long-planned Lake St. Louis Boulevard extension, noting traffic growth, environmental permitting and a joint design approach with St. Charles County.
City staff told the O'Fallon City Council on Oct. 23 that the final phase of the Lake St. Louis Boulevard extension remains in design and is being coordinated closely with St. Charles County and state and federal permitting agencies.
The project is intended to add a north-south corridor to relieve rising traffic in the southwest county area. "From 2020 to 2024 there was a 14 to 19 percent increase in traffic on the three roads we highlighted," staff said during the presentation, citing MoDOT traffic monitoring. Staff said construction is currently anticipated for 2027, subject to permitting and right-of-way work.
Why it matters: staff and council members said the extension is intended to prevent neighborhood cut-through traffic and to provide a planned arterial network as the area develops. The design team has submitted a nationwide 404 permit to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and engaged the Missouri Department of Natural Resources; staff said agencies requested additional information after the city submitted materials in June.
What staff told council: TJ (staff member, engineering) outlined the history of the corridor, noting the planned alignment was included in Preston Woods' development approvals and that the city completed a title search confirming ownership of the contested right-of-way. He said the city has spent about $40,000 on design to date; St. Charles County has spent about $160,000. Staff estimated the city share of construction at about $1.5 million for O'Fallon's portion, with total combined costs rising significantly if a bridge is required.
"We submitted a nationwide 404 permit in June," TJ said, describing coordination with the Corps and DNR. Wade (staff member) and other staff said the county and the city submitted permitting materials as a joint application and that agencies are reviewing the combined proposal.
Public and council concerns: an open house Sept. 23 drew roughly 85 attendees and yielded 59 online survey responses; staff said about 30 percent of online respondents supported the project. Council members asked staff to provide a breakdown of paper and online comments, including residence (O'Fallon or elsewhere), so elected officials could assess local preference. Several residents at the meeting and in follow-up comments expressed environmental concerns and opposition to the alignment near preserved trees.
Intergovernmental risk: Councilmember Debbie reported a Saint Charles County council member told her the county might remove the project from its transportation program and said a county vote could occur Nov. 10. City staff told council that because the projects were submitted jointly for permitting, withdrawal by the county could make proceeding impractical and that timing coordination would be important.
Next steps: staff said they will continue design in 2025, respond to permitting agencies’ requests and coordinate construction timing with the county. Council members asked staff to return with a fuller record of public comments and a clearer cost and right-of-way status if the county proceeds with or without the city's portion.
