The Lake Today

The newly opened 54 Expressway has significantly reduced the number of traffic accidents despite the fact that more than half the vehicles that pass through the Lake Area use Osage Beach Parkway formerly known as Highway 54, according to the Osage Beach Police Department.

On Feb. 14, Osage Beach Police Senior Officer Kevin Friend filed a traffic flow and crash data report to the Osage Beach Police Department. Friend reported there were 309 crashes on the current Osage Beach Parkway in 2010, and 250 crashes worked in the city as a whole.

“Over the past few years Osage Beach has undergone many changes in the way that we travel about our city. Our roadways have evolved greatly and due to this evolution we have seen a vast reduction in traffic crashes,” he said. “In 2009, officers worked 342 traffic crashes, in 2010 the number climbed to 368 crashes, this was a normal climb and we had been seeing this trend over the past several years.”

Friend added the Osage Beach Expressway opened in the fall of 2010 east of the Grand Glaize Bridge. Upon the opening of the Expressway it was obvious that traffic crashes were being reduced by several factors, he said.

“Persons passing through the City were able to maintain a consistent speed without the need for stopping at numerous traffic lights, overall much less congestion was found on the Osage Beach Parkway and traffic was able to travel freely without bumper to bumper traffic situations,” he said. “In the fall of 2011, the Expressway opened west of the Grand Glaize Bridge and we continue to see a drop in the number of traffic crashes.”

Friend noted in his report that they saw a total of 342 crashes in 2009, 368 in 2010 and 250 in 2011. On Highway 54, as known at the time of the report as the current Expressway east of the Grand Glaize Bridge and current Osage Beach Parkway west of the Grand Glaize Bridge, they only saw 55 vehicle crashes.

In addition, Friend said the Osage Beach Police Department also took a traffic flow count through Osage Beach. Friend noted the current traffic counts for 2011 only include the eastern portion of the 54 Expressway when it originally opened and before the western portion of the Expressway officially opened in November 2011.

“The count location was at the east city limit at the Miller/Camden County Line (near Taco Bell) for the Parkway, and near the east city limit of Osage Beach east of Creek Cove Rd for the Expressway,” he said. “We have not counted traffic on the west side of the city as of yet since the Expressway was just opened to the west of the city in November 2011.”

Friend also compared these recent numbers to past traffic flow counts within Osage Beach. He noted in 2009, the city had 30,495 average annual daily traffic, with no Expressway at the time. In 2010, the number was just lower at 28,534, which Friend said could be attributed to construction, diversion, etc.

“We are currently seeing about 32,034 vehicles per day (on average) pass through Osage Beach. This count was taken in late 2011 after the opening of the Expressway. How does that number break down as to who uses the Parkway and who uses the Expressway you might ask? There are currently traffic counters in place that answer that question for us,” he explained. “The Parkway had 18,272 (on average daily) vehicles and the Expressway had 13,762 (on average daily) vehicles. This means that consistently the Parkway is getting 57 percent of the traffic flow and the Expressway is getting 43 percent of the flow. These numbers are remaining consistent as of January 2012.”

Friend added with the evolution of the roadways through Osage Beach, the responsibilities of the police department’s patrol of the area has changed, as well. He said the department picked up several miles of patrol responsibility with the addition of the 54 Expressway.

“We have found that there are challenges to the patrolling the Expressway. One, there is a median built in the roadway and it is hard to quickly turn around and go the other way if necessary, this may effect our response time as there are a limited number of exits to the city,” he said. “As well, motorists have less ability to pull into a lot should they have vehicle trouble. This task sounds small but it is time consuming and many times requires a patrol car with emergency lighting for safety.”

Friend said that currently officers are continually asked for directions, and motorists are still getting used to the Expressway and often stop and ask police officers how to get from one place to another.

“I came back to the road in November of 2011 after four years in the Detective's Bureau and had to ask for directions a few times myself so I completely understood the confusion by the motoring public, the new roads were simply confusing after driving the same road for years,” he added.

Friend added in his report the Expressway has made the Osage Beach community much safer when it comes to amount of vehicle crashes. The reduction is vast and it is mainly due to the Expressway lessening the congestion on the Osage Beach Parkway.

“We are continually asked about the economic impact of the Expressway and how it affects our businesses in the City, therefore, it would be unfair to not mention this issue. After talking with several business owners in the community we find there is an impact, I do not know the exact impact but recent sales tax evaluations have been up,” he added. “In an effort to coax persons off the Expressway and onto the Parkway, the Missouri Department of Transportation has recently placed signage in several locations about the expressway to assist motorists in the ability to see the businesses offered on the Osage Beach Parkway. We are in hopes that this signage will assist those wishing to stop and do business in our City. “

“The economic impact of the Expressway is important to the City of Osage Beach and the Osage Beach Police Department as we need people doing business in our city,” Friend added.