The Missouri Department of Transportation is moving ahead with a major project to improve highway safety in the St.Louis region. Following a Highways and Transportation meeting this week in Jefferson City ,West Contracting Company has been awarded the contract for the St.Louis Safety Improvements Project, a $52 million dollar effort to improve STL County roads, as well as state routes in the Couty as well as in Jefferson County and the city of STL. The goal is to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes by improving safety at nearly 200 locations with signage, guardrail, and signal improvements, improving safety for pedestrians and roadway workers, and addressing specific problems in areas they identify as dis-advantaged communities. The STL Safety Improvements Project is scheduled to begin this summer, with more than 60% of the improvements expected to be completed by the end of the year. Steve Potter, KTRS News.