FESTUS, Mo. – The latest roundabout section in the southeast section of the Interstate 55 and Route 67 interchange in Festus is now open. The news from MoDOT comes a few months after a section on the west side of the interstate opened last year.
“It’s going to throw some folks off today,” Chad Smith, a tow truck operator with Fudge-Crosby towing, said.
He said last year’s roundabout debut led to fender benders and crashes. Smith believes some drivers are unfamiliar with the change and hopes they’ll be aware when traveling through the area.
“If a vehicle is in the roundabout, that vehicle is always going to have the right of way,” Smith said.
He hopes drivers familiar with the rules of the road will exercise patience towards drivers showing confusion.
“The biggest thing is that we just want everyone to get home safe,” Smith added.
Festus resident Ida Staley said residents have been complaining about the change. She hopes with time, confusion will subside.
“It’s new and something they need to get used to,” she said.
Festus resident Grace Rhodes has not experienced major problems during her routine drives through the new roundabout.
“Sometimes people do get confused, so you get stuck a little bit,” she said. “Other than that, it’s really not that bad.”
Commuter Christian Perez believes the change has made the interchange safer.
“Before the roundabout, it was hard to see that other cars were coming,” he said. “Now, with the addition of the roundabout, I can see the cars coming through.”
The roundabouts are part of a larger $246 million project addressing traffic and safety concerns along I-55 in Jefferson County.
The project involves adding a third lane to I-55 within an eight-mile stretch just north of Route Z in Pevely to Route 67 in Festus and improvements at various interchanges.