Spotlight

All Aboard!

The City of Kirkwood is BLOGGING!  Join us in the conversation at ALL ABOARD, the City's new blog.  Read cool stuff, and leave a comment or a question!

We named the new blog in honor of the City's history as an early suburban commuter railroad community, but we also take the notion of getting on board seriously and hope that you, our readers, will join us on this new electronic journey.

What's a blog?  Well, it's short for Web Log or Weblog (with the first two letters deleted), which means it's a log or diary about what's going on in the City.  It's less formal in its approach and style, but more interactive!  That means we hope you'll get involved by sending a comment on something you've read on the blog, or by posing a question.

We're glad you're here, and we hope you enjoy the ride!



Public Works

FAQs

Are there streets that the City of Kirkwood is not responsible for clearing?
Either the State of Missouri or St. Louis County is responsible for providing snow removal operations on the following Kirkwood streets:

State Responsibility:
  • Kirkwood Road, Swan to North City limits
  • Kirkwood Road, Burlington Northern Railroad tracks to South City limits
  • Manchester Road
  • Cragwold Road
St. Louis County Responsibility:
  • Adams Avenue
  • Ballas Road, Adams to West City limits
  • Marshall Road
  • Big Bend Road

Is street parking permitted during snow & ice storms?
Street parking is permitted during snow and ice storms. However, street parking seriously interferes and delays effective plowing operations. With vehicles parked on the street, plows are unable to clear the full pavement width and, in some instances, cannot maneuver through narrow streets and cul-de-sacs. Whenever possible, vehicles should be parked off the street during snow-plowing operations.

Will the City clear the sidewalks after it snows?
Kirkwood residents and businesses are responsible for clearing the sidewalks in front of their properties.

How is the snow plowed?
The City's vehicles push the snow to the right-hand side of the road. Plows are required to follow the flow of traffic but, when safety permits, cul-de-sacs are plowed to push the snow away from the driveways to the center of the cul-de-sac rather than out toward private property. City drivers attempt to keep residents' driveways clear of the excess snow from the street. The City does not clear windrows that form across driveways as the City simply does not have the personnel or equipment to clean the 10,000-plus driveway approaches.

Why Can't You Cut The Dead Limbs Out of My Tree?
The City is not responsible for trees on private property and does not have a forestry department. The Street Division only has the resources to remove dead trees on the public rights-of-way. We do not have the resources to prune, spray, or maintain all of the trees on city rights-of-way. If a particular limb on a public tree presents a danger to the public, the Street Division will remove it.

I Don't Like The Tree In Front Of My House. Will You Cut It Down?
The City of Kirkwood will only remove hazardous dead trees from the public right-of-way. Under no circumstances will crews remove live, healthy trees. If the health of a tree is in doubt, a waiting period is suggested to see if the tree improves. If a determination is made that a tree is dying and will not recover, it is then put on the removal list. Residents may call 984-6948 to request that the Street Division investigate a potentially hazardous tree or limb on public right-of-way.

Residents may request to remove live public trees in front of their property at their cost. Requests for review should be made to the Urban Forestry Commission through the City Clerk's Office. The Urban Forestry Commission will review the request and make a recommendation (often with conditions, such as a replacement tree being planted by the resident) to the Public Works Director. The Public Works Director may then authorize the property owner to remove the public tree at the owner’s cost if conditions are met.