Write Up:

A traffic incident is an unplanned event that blocks travel lanes and temporarily reduces the number of vehicles that can travel on the road. The speed of incident clearance is essential to the highway system returning to normal conditions. Responding to and quickly addressing the incident (e.g., crashes, debris and stalled vehicles) improves system performance. 

St. Louis recorded 2,906 traffic incidents, with an average time of 26.2 minutes to clear those incidents in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026. Compared to the same period in 2025, there was an increase of 28.5% in the number of incidents and a decrease of 15% in clearance times.

Kansas City recorded 1,516 traffic incidents, with an average time of 30.1 minutes to clear those incidents in the first quarter of FY 2026. Compared to the same period in 2025, there was a decrease of 4.9% in the number of incidents and a decrease of 2% in clearance times.

Springfield recorded 543 traffic incidents, with an average time of 28.9 minutes to clear those incidents in the first quarter of FY 2026. Compared to the same period in FY 2025, there was an increase of 26% in the number of incidents and a decrease of 9.4% in clearance times. 

Rural counties of Interstate 70 between MM 28 (Oak Grove) and MM 203 (Foristell) recorded 75 incidents and an average clearance time of 90.6 minutes in the first quarter of FY 2026. Compared to the same period in FY 2025, there was an increase of 97% in the number of incidents and an increase of 16% in clearance times.

Rural counties of Interstate 44 between MM 0 (Oklahoma) and MM 69 (Springfield), as well as between MM 91 (Strafford) and MM 224 (Sullivan), recorded 95 incidents and an average clearance time of 28.2 minutes in the first quarter of FY 2026. Compared to the same period in FY 2025, there was an increase of 5.6% in the number of incidents and a decrease of 46.7% in clearance times.

This reporting period saw an increase of 15.8% in the number of traffic-related incidents captured in MoDOT's Advanced Traffic Management Systems in the combined measured areas and an overall decrease of 8.8% in clearance times. 

For the first quarter of FY 2026, St. Louis and Springfield efforts resulted in clearance times in line and lower than targeted time to clear. Kansas City exceeded the time to clear, but results were due to a drop in the number of minor events, incidents of 30 minutes or less, which contributed to an elevated clearance value.

Purpose of the Measure:

This measure is used to track the trends in incident clearance on the state highway system.

Measurement and Data Collection:

Advanced transportation management systems are used by traffic management centers in St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield to record the incident start time and the time when all lanes are declared cleared. Traffic incidents can be categorized into three general classes of duration set forth by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, which include minor, intermediate and major incidents. Each class has unique traffic- control characteristics and requirements.

This target is established by projecting a 10% improvement over a 5-year average.