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City Board hears county plan to design Bates Road bike and walk upgrades; board seeks final design vote before construction
Summary
St. Charles County roads staff presented a federal funding application to design bike and pedestrian accommodations on Bates Road and a wider 18‑mile network. Aldermen pressed for public meetings and an assurance the board will review final design before construction; funding point rules mean removing bike elements could affect construction funding.
Miss Savannah Brauer, managing director for St. Charles County roads and traffic, told the Board the county has applied for federal design funds for a project that includes bike accommodations on Bates Road and connections to an 18‑mile bikeway network. She emphasized that accepting the funding agreement advances design work and public engagement but does not lock in a final construction plan.
"Everything has to go through a public process," Brauer said, adding that "agreeing with the agreement, you're not saying this is what we're gonna build." She described the next steps as site studies, conceptual designs and public meetings where the community can request changes.
Brauer said MoDOT traffic counts show Bates Road carries about 16,880 vehicles per day in each direction and that engineers will evaluate left‑turn warrants and turn movements to decide where center turning lanes are required. For most of the corridor she described narrowing travel lanes to about 11 feet and adding buffered bike lanes as a likely configuration to slow vehicle speeds and improve safety, while noting intersections would retain left‑turn lanes where a warrant exists.
Board members asked whether an off‑road 14‑foot sidepath (which Brauer said is commonly used where golf carts are allowed) could substitute for on‑road bike lanes. Brauer and staff said design alternatives, including sidepaths and "sharrows," would be explored and that East West Gateway and MoDOT review points for bike accommodations could affect a project’s point score.
Aldermen also pressed how the East West Gateway point system affects construction funding. Brauer and staff said removing bike accommodations can reduce the application points and may require resubmittal for construction funding; however, they said design funds are often retained after the public requests changes and that the board will have a later opportunity to review and vote on a final project plan prior to construction.
Board members and staff agreed on next steps: county engineering will complete traffic and turn‑movement studies, prepare conceptual designs, and host public meetings where residents can review drawings and submit comments. The board requested that community input and aldermen concerns be incorporated into the design process and reiterated that final design will return to the board for approval before construction funding is committed.
The county presentation also highlighted the larger network the Bates Road work would connect to, including a 10‑foot shared use path on Route N, ongoing construction on the Darden Greenway, and signing and pavement marking standards intended to create consistent regional wayfinding.
