Gateway Constructors, the contractor for the Highway 40 rebuilding project, has recommended a detour route exiting Highway 40 to north on Big Bend to west on Forest Park Parkway to I-170. That route is shown in blue in the map below:

[Zoom and pan the map as needed; Click on markers for more information; Full map]

I’ve highlighted two other alternate routes that you might consider:

• Red route — If the official detour exit at Big Bend looks too crowded, exit Highway 40 at Hanley Road. Go north on Hanley Road, then turn left onto Forest Park Parkway, then join I-170
• Green route — Exit Highway 40 at Brentwood. Go north on Brentwood, turn right on Galleria Parkway, then left onto Northbound I-170.

It’s good to see the official detour route recommend Forest Park Parkway, since the Parkway is the closest divided roadway in the area. However, I think the green route is the most obvious and potentially the quickest. The green route passes through 5 stoplights, one fewer than the official route, and spends less time off the highway. In the end, the best of these routes will probably be the one less traveled.

Upcoming, I’ll take a look at alternate routes for the complete Highway 40 shutdown planned in a couple weeks. What routes will you use this weekend? Leave a comment and share with others.

Update 8/3:

The Post-Dispatch ran a story on just this topic today, mentioning all three of the above options.