For many commuters in and around St. Peters, Thursday is a day they have been waiting for for quite some time.

The Missouri Department of Transportation announced in July that the second phase of the Route 364 project will be ready for by late afternoon today—Thursday, Aug. 30. The opening date for the six-mile stretch from Harvester Road to Mid Rivers Mall Drive in St. Peters is two months ahead of schedule. 

Before traffic will hit the roads, a ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on the westbound side near the Central School Road overpass. St. Peters officials will be at the ceremony. During the Aug. 23 Board of Aldermen meeting, St. Peters Mayor Len Pagano said he would be at the event, but he got the location wrong. Ward 1 Alderman Dave Thomas joked that he would give the mayor a ride so he wouldn't get lost. 

Once the second phase is open, all the roadwork in the area won't be finished. In fact, starting Tuesday, Sept. 4, Jungermann Road underneath Route 364 will close for three weeks. MoDOT's contractor needs to replace the pavement on Jungermann as part of the overall Route 364 project, a project that can't be started until phase two is finished. 

Crews will close Jungermann Road from the signal at the North Outer Road to the signal at the South Outer Road starting after morning rush on Tuesday, September 4 until Tuesday, Sept. 25. Woodstone Drive will be open on September 4. Motorists are advised to use Harvester Road, Woodstone Drive or Central School Road as alternates to cross Route 364.