Officials grappling with Paul Renaud Boulevard extension

The Wentzville School District will move forward with construction of a new high school on Sommers Road in O’Fallon, despite the O’Fallon City Council’s rejection of a conditional use permit to build in a designated residential area.

Wentzville School District’s status as an equal taxing entity allowed overriding the decision, but O’Fallon officials say the school will be built as planned, but placement of the Paul Renaud Boulevard extension can still be debated.

The expansion of Paul Renaud Boulevard is a key issue cited by residents opposed to the development. O’Fallon Mayor Bill Hennessy said the road extension won’t be started until after the school is built. Meanwhile, the city will continue to work with the school district to determine a plan for the road that the city and residents can live with.

City Administrator Keith Riesberg said under Missouri law, the district is required to submit its request for planning and zoning review, but state law does not allow planning and zoning to reject any of the components of the development.

“When reviewing the site plan, staff attempted to work with the school district while considering the needs of the community,” Riesberg said. “We, at the city, knew there were key elements we needed. Most of the questions centered on the extension of Paul Renaud Boulevard and the importance of the road.”

Public Works Director Steve Bender said the school’s property is in a growing corridor. Paul Renaud Boulevard serves area residents, especially those who build homes in the area. Bender said the 49-acre parcel is near Hwy. N. If the road is not connected, the traffic generated in the area would have to use either Countryshire Drive or through Briarchase or Preston Woods.

“There are 5,000 vehicles a day expected on this road according to a traffic model determined by the county,” Bender said. “The traffic is generated because of homes in the area, not businesses. They’ll be traveling in and out regardless of the expansion of Paul Renaud Boulevard.”

Paul Renaud currently dead ends, and if it is not extended, those vehicles will travel on Countryshire Drive, Bender said.

“There will be 36 homes facing Countryshire, and that’s what we want to avoid,” Bender said.

Bender said the traffic study looked at peak hour volumes in morning and evening, and the number of vehicles using that road would be about 1,000 vehicles at morning peak and 731 vehicles in the afternoon.

“This is saying if Paul Renaud is not extended, that traffic would take Countryshire Drive. With Paul Renaud connected, about 12 percent of that volume or over 100 vehicles are what you’d see in that peak hour,” Bender said.

Bender said there were also concerns about putting the road through a school property.

“Perhaps ‘boulevard’ is not the best term for this road,” he said. Bender cited other roads near schools such as Belleau Creek Road near Ft. Zumwalt, and said that is similar to what is planned for Paul Renaud Boulevard.

Bender said there are options to deal with speed, noise and crossing, but if the corridor is not preserved, it will drive traffic in other directions. Then, improvements would have to be made on Sommers Road or Countryshire at a cost to the city estimated at $1.2 million.

“Traffic is like water. It will find the path of least resistance,” Bender said.

Bender said other additions like heavily planted buffer would be in the plans with a 6-foot fence and evergreens three-deep.

“We can’t think of any other area landscaped to that extent next to a road,” Bender said. “Knaust Road is buffered with trees and a vinyl fence, and does a good job of separating the road from trees. The trees are on the residents’ property.”

Bender said speed could be controlled by limiting typical 12-foot traffic lanes to 10-feet with a barrier island. The possibility of a “catwalk” type overhead crosswalk would also be a safety option.

“Under state law, we must comply with health and safety codes, but by having staff review plans and issuing the permits, it allows the city to work with the school district to make sure the construction meets the needs for future generations,” Riesberg said. “The extension of Paul Renaud is critical to meeting traffic needs of future generations.  The road construction is not to occur at the same time as the high school construction. The road will be constructed at a later date, with funding pursued through intergovernmental agreements. Timing of construction would be determined based on funding available.

He added, “The school district has their needs, and we have our needs in terms of the road.”