Missouri may move to truck only lanes to avoid injury accidents
Some Missouri officials are debating a plan to limit catastrophic tractor trailer crashes and the serious personal injury that comes with them by adding extra truck-only lanes to Interstate 70, according to a report in the Kansas City Star.
The Star reports that officials have completed a study that suggests adding four lanes to I-70 that would be set aside for tractor trailers and other large shipping vehicles. These lanes would make up the center of the highway, with other traffic allowed to drive in the outer lanes.
The plan is still in the very early stages, but it appears likely that if the new lanes were to be added, Missouri highway planners would have them run nearly the entire length of I-70 between Kansas City and St. Louis, stopping somewhere just outside of the two metro areas.
Missouri’s plan is pretty unique, according to The Star’s report, as no other state has truck-only lanes on the scope that local officials have proposed.
Tractor trailer congestion has become a problem on Missouri roadways, especially I-70. Analysts are predicting that traffic could double on I-70 in the next 20 years. Missouri already sees over 8,000 tractor trailer crashes each year and as a Missouri tractor trailer accident lawyer who studies these cases, I know many result in serious personal injury or wrongful death. This number will only rise with the increase in traffic.
