Maplewood outlines Greenwood Boulevard reconstruction and 10-foot Deer Creek Greenway extension; work to start in March

Amber Withercom, Maplewood city manager, told residents at an open house that the Greenwood Corridor reconstruction and the Deer Creek Greenway extension will be built as a consolidated two-part project to improve roadway, drainage and pedestrian access. She said about 80% of Greenwood Boulevard's reconstruction is federally funded and roughly 20% will come from Maplewood's capital improvement fund.

"We are really excited to have the opportunity to have this trail coming through Maplewood," Withercom said, describing a path that will run from the Oxford Bend Park across Big Bend and Oxford, up Sussex and along Greenwood to Canterbury, then connect with the river greenway.

The project team described a phased, block-by-block approach. Todd Hughes, director of public works for the city, was designated as the primary contact for Greenwood questions; Angelica at Great Rivers Greenway will be the contact for trail-only questions. Project staff said mobilization by contractor Sweetens is expected in the middle to the end of this month and, weather permitting, construction should begin in early March with completion aimed for late 2026.

The city and designers emphasized traffic-management and access measures. "There will always be a lane of traffic open on Greenwood throughout the construction," Withercom said. The team also pledged personal notice to property owners and said driveway work in front of any given residence should take no longer than seven days under normal conditions.

Mike Bush, the project's designer with Oats Associates, said the greenway will be a 10-foot-wide separated path in most places and that intersections—particularly Oxford at Big Bend—will be upgraded to current ADA standards. "The intersection of Big Bend and Oxford will receive a full new traffic signal, a wider crosswalk, continental striping and curb-ramp improvements," Helica Gutierrez, a project manager with Great Rivers Greenway, said.

Several residents raised concerns about safety and business access. Dave Dresner, owner of Pickles at 3622 Greenwood, said his building houses more than a dozen small businesses and requires access for large trucks. "I have 63-foot trucks coming in and out of that loading dock. I can't be shut down for a week," Dresner said, pressing the team to avoid blocking both dock doors at once.

Kristen Berenson, the project manager for contractor Sweetens Concrete, responded that for commercial properties with multiple entrances the contractor will always leave one full entrance open and will work with owners to stage work so access can continue. She also said Sweetens will provide an on-site superintendent every day and owner contact information for day-to-day coordination.

Contractor Gary Sweeten described operational constraints during concrete pours and finishing, noting that timing is tight and trucks cannot wait for long without jeopardizing the integrity of the pour. "Concrete has a shelf life. It's a very narrow window, so timing's everything," Sweeten said, urging patience and coordination during critical operations.

Residents asked about maintenance and jurisdictional responsibilities, especially under the Big Bend viaduct. Project staff said maintenance responsibilities differ by location: Maplewood will maintain the city-managed segments, Webster Groves manages Oxford Bend Park property, and Saint Louis City contributes and manages its portions. For Big Bend specifically, the team said Saint Louis County handles roadway and sidewalk maintenance and should be contacted for broader viaduct fixes beyond the project's curb-ramp and crossing improvements.

Property owner Patrick Giugo said he was surprised the work had already been bid and awarded and asked for detailed plans and information on grade changes near the railroad crossing and building entrances. Designer Mike Bush offered to provide the final construction plans and to meet on-site to review exact elevations and effects on individual buildings.

The city encouraged ongoing questions and said materials, slides and the recorded presentation will be posted on the city's project website; staff will remain at the open house through 7:30 p.m. For block-level or driveway concerns, project staff asked residents to contact Sweetens directly when they receive personal notice and to use cityclerk@maplewoodmoe.gov for other inquiries.

Next steps: the design team said federal procurement and bidding steps remain for some trail segments (Great Rivers Greenway noted a Feb. 25 bid date for certain sections), Sweetens will mobilize in the coming weeks, and the city will post schedule updates on its website and social media.