Community Interest

Letter to the Editor: 03/19/2025

St. Charles County, Missouri and the City of O'Fallon, Missouri, propose extending Lake St. Louis Boulevard from Paul Renaud Blvd to Route DD. "Citizens for Smart Growth in St. Charles County LLC" is opposed to the extension as it will adversely impact the quality of life of local residents, irreversibly damage natural and historic areas, and provide only limited positive impact on local traffic. We ask you to join us in our opposition to this ill-conceived proposal.

The proposed roadway would connect the existing Lake St. Louis Blvd. to Highway DD at the southern project terminus to provide a north-south connector route within a predominately residential area. The roadway will be in close proximity to existing residences and bring noise, light, and pollution to a rural area. The roadway extension will require a total of three separate crossings of the unnamed tributary to Dardenne Creek and two wetland impact areas. The extension will disturb a historic property consisting of features that represent ruins of a 19th-century log cabin of the Hopewell African American Community. The site is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The extension will also remove 8.5 acres of forested areas that are suitable summer habitat for two endangered bat species, Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) and northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), and the proposed endangered, tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus). To read more about this project from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, click here. 

The 2019 traffic study conducted to investigate the benefits and final design of this proposal did not consider any "no extension options" to improve flow at the Diehr Road/Hwy DD intersection. Its growth projections are somewhat dated, as much of the area that will feed these roads has been developed. Most importantly, as most commuters are traveling to/from their residence to I-64, this proposal does nothing to benefit their overall commute to St. Louis County. The extension simply adds another route to the congested I-64. In short, this proposal offers little real benefit and a lot of adverse impacts. It's another example of ill-conceived development by the City of O'Fallon and St. Charles County. Click here to sign the petition.

Thank you for your support,
Bill Carrier,
Citizens for Smart Growth in St. Charles County