ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Concrete barriers are almost complete outside Ted Drewes as a part of the safety improvements being done by the city of St. Louis.
In late January, work on safety improvements near Ted Drewes began after a history of scary incidents that happened over the last few years.
One of those incidents included a car crashing into people who were buying Christmas trees in the Ted Drewes lot days before Christmas last year.
“With so many people lined up here all the time, we want to make sure that is a safe experience,” said Rasmus Jorgenson, spokesman for the St. Louis Mayor’s Office. “This concrete barrier going in, the lighting, the crosswalk that will be signalized,
Rasmus Jorgenson, spokesman for the St. Louis Mayor’s office, says the road safety improvements were already on the books to get done when that incident happened.
“We were intentionally waiting for January, because we wanted to do this as much as possible while Ted Drewes was closed,” said Jorgenson. “So as not to disturb the business there.
As part of the safety improvements besides the concrete barriers, it also includes improved lighting, a crosswalk that will be signalized and a camera linked to the Real Time Crime Center at the police station.
“With so many people lined up here all the time, we want to make sure that is a safe experience,” said Jorgenson.
There are still molds waiting for new concrete to be poured on barriers directly outside Ted Drewes but almost all of the other concrete is done, including bump-outs
Next, the city will wait for the new cross walk signal to arrive late April, early May so they can install it.