The Missouri Highway Patrol is investigating a cross-over crash on U.S. 65 north of Branson killing a motorcyclist.

The stretch of U.S. 65 does not have median cables, like some divided four lane highways do. MoDOT installed median cables on I-44 all the way from the Oklahoma state line to St. Louis. And they also stretch across the state on I-70. MoDot says when cables are installed, they are more than 95 percent successful at preventing crossover crashes.

When determining where to install cables, MoDOT staff says they look at traffic volume on a roadway and the crash history on the stretch of road. And then they have to consider the cost, which is about $125,000 per mile.

"It's one of those balancing acts in one of those struggles for our staff of how we can spend the money to keep the system going, keep the system in good condition and also try to find a way to squeeze out some of those safety improvements as we go," said Travis Koestner, MoDot District engineer.

MoDOT says the stretch of road where Wednesday's crash happened has only six crashes in the last five years. One of those being another crossover crash. But they say that driver was going far above the speed limit.

James Roe, 67, of Reeds Spring died in Wednesday's crash. The crash also injured the driver of a car and two other motorcyclists traveling behind Roe.