Highway 61 Wentzville Accidents: Why U.S. 61 Is So Dangerous and What MoDOT Plans?
If you live in Wentzville, you already know. You pull up to a crossover on Highway 61, look left, look right, and hope. Cars are coming at highway speed and you’ve got to get across the median anyway.
That’s not paranoia. It’s the design of the road. And people are tired of waiting on a fix.
How bad is Highway 61 in Wentzville?
KSDK reported in October 2026 that, according to 2026 Missouri State Highway Patrol crash data, 43 people have been seriously injured and six people have been killed in crashes on Highway 61 this year.
Read that again. Forty-three serious injuries. Six deaths. And the year isn’t over.
Why U.S. 61 crashes happen: at-grade median crossovers
A big part of the problem is the at-grade median crossover. That’s where a side road meets Highway 61 with no bridge and no signal, just a gap in the median. To get across or turn left, you have to cross fast-moving lanes of traffic, stop in the median, and then do it again.
KSDK described the crossover at Highway 61 and North Point Prairie Road as dangerous. MoDOT’s own plan is built around getting rid of these crossings in St. Charles County, which tells you how the engineers see them too.
What MoDOT plans to do about Highway 61?
MoDOT studied U.S. 61 from the I-64/I-70 interchange to the Lincoln County line. The study started in fall 2023, the final report came out in December 2024, and MoDOT held a public open house at Wentzville City Hall on December 17, 2025.
Here’s what’s on MoDOT’s project page:
- Money: About $40 million has been allocated for corridor improvements, assuming approval in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
- Timing: Construction is set to start in 2028.
- Highway W interchange: A grade-separated interchange at Highway W and U.S. 61, replacing the at-grade median crossover there. The current concept is a “dogbone” design with roundabouts at each end of the bridge, similar to the I-64/Prospect interchange in Lake St. Louis.
- Outer roads: New or connected outer roads on both sides of U.S. 61 between Dietrich Road and McHugh Road, giving local drivers access to the new interchange.
- Closing the crossovers: Those outer road segments would allow MoDOT to close the remaining at-grade median crossovers in St. Charles County.
- Right-of-way: MoDOT says it will need to buy some land, but hasn’t identified the specific parcels yet.
MoDOT also says additional corridor improvements beyond this first phase are unfunded. They’ll go on MoDOT’s High-Priority Unfunded Needs List.
Residents want action before 2028
In October 2026, frustrated residents packed a Wentzville Board of Aldermen meeting, according to KSDK. Their point was blunt: if everybody already agrees these intersections need to change, why live with them for two more years?
Speakers asked the city to push for temporary safety measures now instead of waiting on the long-term plan. KSDK reported that MoDOT has acknowledged requests for temporary measures and indicated a willingness to coordinate with local officials and emergency responders. A Wentzville fire battalion chief suggested regular high-visibility patrols to slow traffic down.
After the meeting, Wentzville Mayor Nick Guccione said he’d reached out to MoDOT, the police chief, and St. Charles County officials, and that he’s calling for a meeting with all stakeholders. As of KSDK’s report, no date had been set.
I think the residents are right. Two years is a long time to cross that median every morning.
What to do after a crash on Highway 61?
If you or someone in your family gets hurt on 61, a few things matter more than anything else:
- Call 911 and get medical care. Some injuries don’t show up for hours.
- Find out who worked the crash. On U.S. 61 that’s often the Missouri State Highway Patrol, but it could be local police. You’ll need to know to get the report.
- Photograph everything if you safely can: vehicles, the intersection, skid marks, traffic controls, the median gap.
- Don’t give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer before you talk to a lawyer.
- Preserve evidence early. Vehicle data, nearby business video, and witness memories don’t last.
If you want to know how to get the report itself, see our guide on how to get a Missouri crash report.
Who can be responsible for a Highway 61 crash?
Usually it’s a driver: someone who pulled into the crossover without enough gap, was speeding, was distracted, or was impaired. Sometimes a commercial truck or its company is involved. Each case turns on its own facts, and claims involving a public road or government entity have special rules and deadlines. That’s a conversation to have with a lawyer, not a guess to make on your own.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people have been hurt or killed on Highway 61 in 2026?
KSDK reported in October 2026 that, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol crash data, 43 people have been seriously injured and six people have been killed in crashes on Highway 61 this year.
What is MoDOT doing about Highway 61 in Wentzville?
MoDOT plans a grade-separated “dogbone” interchange at Highway W and outer roads between Dietrich Road and McHugh Road, which would allow it to close the remaining at-grade median crossovers in St. Charles County.
When will the Highway 61 and Highway W interchange be built?
MoDOT says construction of corridor improvements is set to start in 2028, with about $40 million allocated, assuming STIP approval.
What is a dogbone interchange?
It’s an interchange where the cross road crosses the highway on a bridge with a roundabout at each end, so you don’t have to cross highway traffic at grade. MoDOT compares the planned design to the I-64/Prospect interchange in Lake St. Louis.
How long do I have to file an injury claim after a Highway 61 crash?
In Missouri, most personal injury claims must be filed within five years. Wrongful death claims and claims involving government entities have different, shorter deadlines, so don’t wait.
Talk to Mutrux Firm
Hurt in a crash on Highway 61 or anywhere in St. Charles County? Call us. Main line 888-550-4026, St. Louis 314-270-2273, Columbia 573-722-2121.