New Roadside Markers Coming to
Missouri Interstate Highways
JEFFERSON CITY – New roadside markers going up this year will help travelers instantly determine their exact location and direction of travel on Missouri’s interstate highways. The markers are important emergency response devices, allowing stranded motorists to pinpoint their location for quicker assistance.
“These new roadway markers will be a big help to travelers, and we’re pleased to put them up along all our busy interstates,” said Missouri Department of Transportation Director Pete Rahn. “About 50 million miles a day are traveled on Missouri interstates, many of them by people unfamiliar with the area. If they get lost or stranded, it can create a very dangerous situation. They need to know where they are when they ask for help – these signs give them that vital information.”
Missouri is one of the first states in the nation to make extensive use of these markers, which were recently approved for interstates by the federal government.
The markers are being installed right now, and will be in place along all of Missouri's 1,200 miles of interstate highways by the end of the year. They’ll be placed every two-tenths of a mile along the right edge of the highways, going in both directions.
The green signs will show the road's name, direction of travel and exact mileage location, down to the nearest tenth of a mile. “They’re placed closely together so motorists will always have one in sight if they’re stranded,” said MoDOT Signing and Marking Engineer Tom Honich.
“Many drivers, when they’re stranded by the side of the road, can’t describe to emergency responders where they’re located. By looking at a nearby sign they’ll be able to tell what highway they’re on, what direction they’re going and the specific mileage locator. This will save time, and could save lives.”
The new signs will replace two types of existing markers. Current mileage markers are smaller and are placed only once per mile, with no route information. White posts are also in place every tenth of a mile to help locate the edge of the shoulder when visibility is poor, but have no information on them.
Replacing both sets of older signs with the new markers is estimated to save more than $200,000 a year in maintenance costs.
