Manchester Waiting For MoDOT Response on Highway 141 Mowing Issue

After expressing dissatisfaction at a recent Manchester Board of Aldermen meeting with the way the  is maintaining the grass along Highway 141, Manchester city leaders got a response, but not a solution. At least not yet.

As previously reported by Patch, This is all that is required of MoDOT.

So this week, Manchester city leaders met with MoDOT officials, State Representative Sue Allen, State Representative Andrew Koenig (who will represent Manchester if re-elected in November, due to redistricting), and State Senator Eric Schmitt to review the grass cutting issues.

"Basically we're asking, 'Take care of our residents,'" Manchester Alderman Marilyn Ottenad said.

She said the group toured around Dennison Estates Drive, the area around Highway 141 and Howard George Drive (photos included in this article) and other areas along Highway 141. These are some of the areas where grass is cut three times by MoDOT over the summer.

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Although MoDOT officials are familiar with the ongoing situation, Ottenad said this was the first time the state leaders had seen the tall grass left behind after cutting was complete. 

"They couldn't believe it," Ottenad said.

However, the tour did not create a solution between MoDOT and the City of Manchester.

"No committment from anybody," Ottenad said. "MoDOT says, 'Let's partner.' Which means, 'We will let you cut our grass. We won't pay you, but we'll allow you on our grass to cut it.'"

As previously reported by Patch, this is not an option Ottenad, fellow aldermen or other city leaders are considering at this time.

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"That's not fair to our tax payers because why should we spend taxpayers money when it's not our grass?" Ottenad asked.

So now Ottenad and other city leaders are waiting to hear more from MoDOT on the issue. 

"June 22nd we will find out for sure what they will, or will not, do," Ottenad said.

However, MoDOT tells Patch it will likely not do any more than it already is.

Although MoDOT plans to contact Patch with additional information, this week Patch was told by a MoDOT spokesperson that it's an issue of being fair and MoDOT is doing the same for cities within the St. Louis region. The spokesperson said MoDOT can't do more or less for one city and not another.

However, Manchester leaders said MoDOT is doing more, right here in St. Louis, including mowing completely along Highway 40 and Interstate 44 on the route into downtown.

Manchester Mayor David Willson said MoDOT explained to him that because of the population an density of the city, they felt it was better served to cut along Highway 40 and Interstate 44.

"We have a lot of people in a small area and it's mostly residential, so their logic escaped me," Willson said of the explanation. It's really unacceptable when you see the way they've cut the grass."

Now Manchester waits to see the next step for grass along Highway 141. If there is a next step, they're set to find out by June 22.

"I'll be surprised if they do anything. I think it was a waste of time," Ottenad tells Patch. "I think it was just a big show for the representatives and the senator, to show how they're willing to listen to us."

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