Webster Groves council moves ahead with design for South Elm shared-use path after heavy neighborhood feedback

Webster Groves — The City Council voted on June 16 to move forward with engineering design for a 10-foot shared-use path along South Elm Avenue placed inside the existing roadway footprint (staff’s “Option B”), a decision that followed more than an hour of public comment and detailed staff briefing on alternatives.

City engineer San reviewed two alternatives, telling the council that Option A would build the path in the right-of-way and require removal of trees and other private improvements, while Option B shifts the pavement and eliminates the west-side parking lane to preserve front-yard landscaping and limit private property impacts. San and public-engagement manager Jordan Row emphasized that the federal grant that underwrote the project — roughly $2 million toward a larger mill-and-overlay and multi-use path — requires a multi-use facility and that a narrow sidewalk-only option would likely forfeit that funding.

Supporters of the project, including members of the Traffic Advisory Commission, argued the path advances the city’s “complete streets” goals and improves connections to neighborhood schools and destinations. Dozens of residents who live directly on South Elm urged caution, citing likely loss of trees and front-yard space, steeper driveway grades, reduced on-street parking and safety concerns for seniors and families crossing the roadway.

Council members pressed staff on emergency-vehicle access, snow clearing and crossing treatments. Public Works Director Scott said the fire and police departments had not objected to the narrower roadway configuration and that crews would look at equipment to clear the path in winter; staff also committed to studying raised crosswalks, flashing beacons and other traffic-calming measures at key crossing points.

Staff recommended moving to detailed engineering for Option B rather than proceeding with Option A or abandoning the grant. The motion to accept the city manager’s recommendation passed in council; members said final design work would return to the council and the public before construction. Council asked staff to ensure designers address driveway transitions, crosswalk safety near Glendale and Watson, and long-term maintenance responsibilities.

Why it matters: The council’s choice preserves federal funding for a larger roadway reconstruction project while committing the city to more detailed design work to balance pedestrian safety and neighborhood impacts. Council members said they expect further rounds of public review once engineering drawings are complete.