St. Louis and St. Louis County had their deadliest year for pedestrians in 2024.
A new crash report from Trailnet found that 23 pedestrians in the city and 36 in the county were killed last year. That’s a 187% increase for the city and 24% increase for the county. The report emphasized that many of the crashes in the region are isolated to certain roads including: Grand, Kingshighway, Broadway, Gravios, Lindbergh, Halls Ferry, Manchester and Big Bend.
The report highlights long-standing challenges in the region including speed limits above 35 mph on wide arterial roads that lack mid-block pedestrian crossings. A disproportionate number of crashes are in communities of color largely because many residents rely on walking and public transit to get around. Historic financial disinvestment in those communities such as The Ville has also led to inequities in how the streets are designed and sidewalks that are not maintained.
“We have to invest in an overall network that is going to get people to the places they need to go," said Trailnet CEO Cindy Mense. "Prioritizing getting them to transit. We have a higher number of transit users especially on the northside. We need to make those sidewalk connections.”
The City of St. Louis took steps to improve safety in 2024. It revised its street policies to increase safety guidelines. Roughly $46 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding was allocated to implement traffic calming measures on some arterial city streets, as well as create pedestrian, disability and bike-friendly changes along several high-crash intersections and corridors including Goodfellow, Union, Kingshighway, Grand and Broadway.
St. Louis County teamed up with the Missouri Department of Transportation to improve safety measures along dangerous roads and intersections. Each has allocated a combined $4 million to address safety concerns in 33 locations.
The county has also invested $32 million in a project to improve the West Florissant corridor between Solway and Stein Road. The goal is to enhance safety and accessibility for pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers and transit users.
The report identified several changes to improve safety including: more traffic calming measures in high crash corridors, lower speed limits, address distracted driving, as well as more education and engagement.
Trailnet CEO Cindy Mense and cyclist Sarah Hanly joined St. Louis on the Air to discuss the reasons behind traffic violence, the effects of crashes on the people who experience them, and the solutions being put in place to make St. Louis streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.
Catch the podcast episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or click the play button below.
