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Webster Groves resident asks commission to add sidewalk after ‘terrifying’ street crossing
Summary
A resident urged the Traffic Advisory Commission to add a sidewalk and safer crossing on Grant Road near Grama Court; commissioners agreed to place the request on the commission’s June agenda and asked staff to gather sidewalk-policy and data inputs.
Kim Alessi, a Webster Groves resident, told the Traffic Advisory Commission on May 12 that five homes at the end of Grama Court have no sidewalk access to the nearby east-side sidewalk on Grant Road and that parents and children must hurry across a blind curve to reach school routes.
Alessi said the cul-de-sac serves nine adults and six children and described the crossing as “terrifying.” “I don't let my girls cross the street without them being in a stroller because it's that scary,” she told the commission. She asked the commission to consider a west‑side sidewalk on Grant Road and “possibly a bit rough walk or stop signs” at the Webster Forest entrance to improve safety.
The commission discussed sight lines, the tree-lined curb, available right-of-way and the city’s sidewalk request process. Commissioners noted there is already a sidewalk on the east side of Grant Road and that installing a sidewalk on the west side could be constrained by right-of-way and cost. A commission member recommended staff and commissioners review the city sidewalk policy and gather data before any design effort.
The chair said the commission would add the Grama Court/Grant Road request to next month’s agenda and asked members to review the sidewalk policy in advance. Commissioners suggested initial options that could be studied: a marked crosswalk with curb ramps, a short segment of sidewalk or a targeted intersection improvement that would give pedestrians a safer place to gather before crossing.
No formal motion or funding decision was made at the meeting; commissioners characterized the item as a referral for study and directed staff to prepare background information for the June meeting.
The commission asked the resident to drive the area with members and noted they would pull old subdivision plans, check available right-of-way, and verify whether prior design allowances exist for a sidewalk in that location.
