{a view of the “jug handle” intersection at Hanley and Eager Roads}
For anyone who has sat through multiple light cycles on Eager Road heading east relief is here. MODOT has recently complete what they call a “jug handle” intersection for motorist driving east on Eager Road wanting to turn north on Hanley Road and those driving north on Hanley wishing to turn west onto Eager.
So how does this work? If you’re driving east on Eager Road you will take a left exit as you pass Best Buy and pass under Hanley Road, then looping to the right and arriving at Hanley Road from the east. From Hanley Road a driver exits right and loops left, crossing under Hanley and leading to westbound Eager.
{a closer view of the “jug handle” intersection}
According to MODOT this intersection alone carries 10,000 cars a day with 50,000 cars using Hanley Road at this intersection daily. Now, drivers will no longer wait in left-turn lanes or at a light to cross Hanley in order to enter I-64 eastbound. The Post-Dispatch notes that drivers were not immediately using the new intersection and instead continued to attempt to turn left onto the road behind the Best Buy and other retailers, the temporary route employed during construction.
The Post-Dispatch also highlights how constructing the interchange as part of the new I-64 has saved St. Louis County $34M. Now, I’m not sure how in the world this is possible, but County Executive Charlie Dooley is quoted as saying the intersection was thought to cost $40M, but what completed for $5.8M when added to the Instate project. Whatever the real numbers, it appears that this was an opportune time to relieve congestion added to this intersection by shoppers using Eager Road.
