St. Louis is making strides to enhance pedestrian safety along a notable stretch of Chippewa Street, directly outside the iconic Ted Drewes Frozen Custard spot, media outlets reported. The city has kicked off improvements that include the installation of "bump-out" curb extensions, a crosswalk, and brighter lighting, as well as relocating the east parking lot entrance and setting up a surveillance camera for the Real Time Crime Center, according to KSDK.
As Ted Drewes is currently closed for the season, the city is seizing the opportunity to advance the roadwork without interrupting the flurry of frozen custard enthusiasts, KMOX News reports. The first phase of the project commenced with the demolition of the sidewalk next to the parking lot and will proceed to tackle the actual street work, involving a crosswalk and a speed hump that aims to slow down traffic. Travis Dillon, the owner of Ted Drewes, expressed his enthusiasm about the construction, saying, "Excited about this stage of construction finally getting underway."
The urgency of these improvements was underscored by a recent incident before Christmas, in which 19-year-old Rasool Al Janabi lost control of his vehicle and collided with multiple pedestrians, resulting in serious injuries and felony charges upon his apprehension, as FOX 2 Now highlights. The city's response includes a comprehensive suite of measures such as a pedestrian-activated signal at the new crosswalk, a traffic barrier, and heightened lighting to bolster visibility and safety for those traversing this bustling area.
We are taking advantage of the frozen custard season being on hiatus and are now at work installing safety improvements along Chippewa by Ted Drewes.
— City of St. Louis (@STLCityGov) January 28, 2025
Improvements include:
Bump-outs
Barriers
Crosswalk
Lighting
Relocation of east parking lot entrance
Real Time Crime Center camera pic.twitter.com/4C5RRmhNOY
