Clinton residents and commuters, brace yourselves for some upcoming traffic headaches. Starting the week of March 31, road work will kick off at the intersection of Missouri Route 7, Missouri Route 13, and 2nd Street, causing lane closures and potential delays. This necessary evil is a continuation of a resurfacing and improvements project that's been going on since last year, as reported by MoDOT.
The construction will unfold in two phases over the course of three weeks, if the weather plays nice. In Phase 1, the northbound Missouri Route 7 traffic will be squeezed, like a round peg in a square hole, into the southbound Route 7/13 lanes. 2nd Street will have to take a breather at Route 7/13, with no access to Route 13 for northbound travelers or Route 7 for the southbound. Yet, the right turn from Route 7 to northbound Missouri Route 13 will hold steady, staying wide open.
Following Phase 1's completion, 2nd Street flings open its arms to Route 7 traffic, but still denies any northbound Route 13 access. In a twist, southbound Route 13 at Route 7 will slam shut, with traffic rerouted along a detour that's got more turns than a daytime soap. The recommended detour will lead southbound Route 13 motorists on a scenic route via northbound Route 7, Rives Road, down 2nd Street south to Missouri Route 18 (Ohio Street), and then a hop east to Route 7/13/52.
A helpful hint for drivers: scouting out an alternate route might just be the day's saving grace. Electronic message boards will stand guard, updating drivers about shifting patterns and schedule changes in traffic, like silent sentinels of the commute. For the real-time scoop on road closures and their impact on traffic, the MoDOT’s Traveler Information Map is a click away and ready to serve dutifully at MoDOT’s website.
