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Aldermen back signage, debate crosswalk costs and ADA trade-offs near Lewis and Clark Elementary
Summary
Board members supported new no-parking and school-zone signs to reduce pickup congestion near Lewis and Clark subdivision, but raised concerns about liability, ADA ramp costs and whether striping alone could create false safety expectations.
A request to buy and install no-parking signs at the entrance to Lewis And Clark subdivision and near Tasman Elementary drew support from the Dardenne Prairie Board of Aldermen on Nov. 6, as members weighed enforcement and safety trade-offs.
Aldermen Detweiler and Koslow proposed signs after residents complained that parents pull into a cul-de-sac and park or block driveways while waiting to pick up children. Speaker 3 said the practice forces vehicles into the lane close to where children walk, calling the curves "blinding" and a hazard.
The principal reportedly favors parents forming a single queue in the school parking lot rather than stopping in the cul-de-sac. Speaker 8 asked whether the principal was comfortable with redirecting pickup onto school property; Speaker 3 said the principal had asked parents to queue and had not objected to signage.
Board members debated options including "no parking," time-limited restrictions, and "residents only" parking. Speaker 7 suggested time windows tied to school hours; Speaker 2 recommended considering resident-only allowances to avoid penalizing homeowners who host guests. The resource officer currently escorts children at peak times, but members said overreliance on the SRO can divert that officer from other duties.
The board also discussed adding a marked crosswalk for two students near Meriwether Lewis and William Clark streets. Staff cautioned that adding striping without ADA-compliant ramps could raise liability concerns. Estimates for installing ADA ramps and full crossing improvements were discussed (roughly $7,000–$8,000 per side as a planning-level figure); members asked staff to return cost estimates for striping, signage and ramps. One member urged the board to consider a broader capital-improvement approach for school-area safety rather than addressing single locations piecemeal.
Action: Board members agreed in principle to pursue no-parking signage and asked staff for cost estimates for signage, striping and ADA ramps to return at a future meeting.
