A pedestrian was struck and killed Tuesday night in the 7300 block of Manchester Road in Maplewood, a crash that closed the busy corridor in both directions while emergency crews and investigators worked the scene, police said. The driver stayed at the scene and is cooperating with officers.
Both directions of Manchester Road were shut down for an extended period as investigators documented the crash and processed the scene, according to First Alert 4.
Manchester Road Has Long Been Under Scrutiny
Manchester Road has been on safety watch lists for years. A Road Safety Audit completed this spring by the Missouri Department of Transportation documented 658 crashes along the corridor between 2015 and 2024 and recommended short- and long-term actions, including trimming median vegetation, installing advanced warning flashers and studying a speed reduction to improve pedestrian safety, according to MoDOT.
Investigation Ongoing
Maplewood police have not released additional information about the person killed. Officers remained on scene while the roadway was closed, and closures were expected to last for an extended period as investigators completed their work, First Alert 4 reported.
Next Steps For Safety
MoDOT says many of the audit's short-term recommendations could be in place by the end of the year, and a larger resurfacing project that would allow more extensive pedestrian and ADA upgrades is planned for fiscal year 2029. Local advocates have long pushed for quicker changes along busy stretches of Manchester Road, and this fatal crash will likely intensify calls for action.
