Kingshighway construction looks to add traffic calming measures; local business facing financial impact
ST. LOUIS (First Alert 4) - After decades of use, Kingshighway is getting a revamp. But it’s also exposing some serious growing pains.
Parts of Kingshighway across the city already have or will soon see construction. The major thoroughfare is getting repaved from Florissant to Gravois. There will also be traffic calming measures added to slow down vehicles, protect pedestrians and calm traffic.
John Parker Jr.’s family has owned O’Connell’s Pub in the city for more than 60 years.
“I’ve probably driven on Kingshighway more than any other road I’ve ever driven on.”
The major construction on Kingshighway, Parker said, is needed.
“People drive really fast and the problem we’ve been having with people just using streets as drag strips for car racing. Kingshighway is one of the notorious strips,” Parker said.
Parker said the construction is also impacting his bottom line. To get to O’Connell’s, what would normally be six lanes on Kingshighway is now down to three.
Parker said profit is down 20% compared to this time last year.
“In the restaurant business, especially the independent restaurant business, you don’t have that buffer,” Parker said.
The work on Kingshighway is part of a $46 million project that spans 30 miles of the city. The project is trying to address speeding, pedestrian and cyclist safety, and lower the number of crashes.
Melinda Conardy drives on Kingshighway often.
“It feels like a highway sometimes. I think they do a good 50, 60 down Kingshighway. There are no stop signs or anything that will slow them down so they just floor it,” Conardy said.
Conardy also takes her grandkids to nearby Christy Park often.
“It’s always is today going to be an accident,” Conardy said.
Conardy said they used to walk over, but now she said the drivers are just too dangerous.
“The last time that we did that the reason I stopped is because someone came and they came about four feet from hitting me with her in her stroller. They had no desire to slow down and I wasn’t about to be one of their victims,” Conardy said.
While the work continues, Parker’s putting out a public plea for people to keep coming to O’Connell’s. He said the response from the community has already been heartwarming.
“People coming in on Wednesday and Thursday being as busy as a good Friday is where the rubber meets the road,” Parker said.
The city said the entire Kingshighway project will end sometime next year.
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