Shady Creek: Elm Avenue to Gore Avenue

Project Overview

Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) is currently working on a major storm sewer project along Kirkham Avenue, which creates an opportunity to build a 0.36-mile segment of the Shady Creek Greenway between Elm Avenue and Gore Avenue while helping reduce traffic impacts and greenway construction costs.

In 2006, this area was identified in the Shady Creek Greenway and Deer Creek Greenway Concept Plan as a potential connection between Lorraine Davis Park and Larson Park in Webster Groves. In 2025, Great Rivers Greenway worked with the City of Webster Groves to gather community input on a greenway route between Elm Avenue and Gore Avenue along Kirkham. Based on community feedback and support, the alignment is being designed with construction expected to begin in late 2027 or early 2028.

The project team continues to explore potential connections to Lorraine Davis Park and Larson Park. Community input on these potential connection alignments was sought throughout the summer and fall of 2026, including a public open house in September 2026.

To stay up to date on this project, subscribe to updates at the bottom of this page.

Project Location

The initial 0.36-mile Shady Creek Greenway segment will follow MSD’s work along Kirkham Avenue, generally between Gore Avenue and Elm Avenue.

Potential alignments connecting this segment to Lorraine Davis Park and Larson Park are being studied.

Project Partners

Great Rivers Greenway
City of Webster Groves
Metropolitan Sewer District (to learn more about MSD’s work along this alignment, visit their project webpage here)

Current Status

In 2026, the design team completed survey work, traffic analysis, and engineering for this greenway segment, in coordination with MSD and the City of Webster Groves. In September 2026, updated design plans were shared at a community open house. Construction on the segment along Kirkham Ave between Gore and Elm is anticipated to begin in late 2027.

Map + Concept Renderings

The image above is a preliminary conceptual design for this section of the Shady Creek Greenway and shows a greenway alignment that maintains parking on the north side of Kirkham Avenue, which was preferred by community members.

Community Feedback: Shaping the Greenway

Thank you to all who participated in the Shady Creek Greenway planning process in 2025 and 2026. To date, we have hosted three open houses, three focus groups, and conducted a public survey.

Of the more than 350 survey responses, over 87% of respondents expressed support for a greenway along Kirkham Avenue. The project team is advancing a design for the greenway that will prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety, connectivity, and protect natural habitats, among others. See the images below for a complete summary of the feedback we heard during the planning phase and a conceptual design for the greenway along Kirkham Avenue between Elm Avenue and Gore Avenue. Based on the 2006 GRG master plan and community feedback, we are reviewing options to expand this greenway to connect Larson Park to Lorraine Davis Park.