Construction at major intersection closes sidewalk for students; major Big Bend work coming

While St. Louis County Department of Transportation works to construct a right turn lane from northbound S. Big Bend onto Manchester, the sidewalk there will be closed, forcing changes for some MRH students walking to school.

The school district has a recommendation for those students:

Dear MRH families,
As the new school year draws near, we want you to have this update on the timeline for the road/sidewalk improvement project which is still ongoing at Manchester Road and Big Bend Boulevard.
The current phase of the project allows pedestrian crossings between QT and White Castle, and between QT and Raising Cane’s. Electronic signals are in place for pedestrians. The current phase prohibits pedestrian crossing between Raising Cane’s and CVS, and between CVS and White Castle. There are signs sitting on the sidewalks at Manchester & Sutton and at Big Bend & Flora, warning “SIDEWALK CLOSED AHEAD.” The signs were placed at those particular locations because electronic signals are in place there to regulate pedestrian crossings. They are designed to direct people to the correct sidewalks. We strongly encourage pedestrians who find themselves at a closed sidewalk to resist the temptation to cross outside the crosswalk. Instead, backtrack to the signaled crossings, please.

The attached map depicts the safest routes: BigBendManchester-MRH-CurrentPedPlan. They are marked in green. Avoid the routes marked in red. If you have difficulty viewing this map on your monitor/device, go to the news section of www.mrhschools.net or to the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District’s Facebook page.
The next (and final) phase of the project begins in late August. We expect to receive at least one week’s notice before the switchover. The next phase will allow pedestrian crossings between Raising Cane’s and QT, and between Raising Cane’s and CVS. The “SIDEWALK CLOSED AHEAD” signs will be repositioned, with one of them being at Manchester & Oakland. (There is a pedestrian crossing signal at Manchester & Oakland.)

The district will distribute the next phase map as we get closer to the switchover.

Please encourage your students to make wise choices at all intersections.

More on Big Bend, for the future: David Wrone, director of communications for St. Louis County Transportation has said the department will be resurfacing S. Big Bend from Manchester Road north all the way to Delmar Boulevard. Work will likely begin next year.