Lindbergh Links: Florissant Makes the Boulevard a Bit More Beautiful

The longest road in the St. Louis area, Lindbergh Boulevard runs roughly 30 miles through north, central and south county, touching nine of our Patch sites. On this anniversary of namesake Charles Lindbergh's death, we wanted to take a look at this road from our nine different perspectives. Each Patch editor has a different take on how Lindbergh touches that community. Drive along with us through our Lindbergh Links — and we hope you'll add your own observations along the way.

remains one of the busiest streets in Florissant. Now, it’s starting to take shape as a beautiful road, too.

In March, Florissant officials gathered to cut the ribbon on the second phase of the , and it has taken shape throughout the summer months.

Mayor Tom Schneider said that as of Aug. 8, 55 percent of the project has been completed. 

Since the ribbon cutting, new sidewalks, shrubbery and signage denoting the city of Florissant have been installed along the stretch between Washington and Charbonier to Cold Water Creek. Street lights, sod and pavement patching remain to be put onto the stretch of road.

“That’s got to be good for business,” Scott Schneider, president of the , said. “It serves residents in making business more accessible off of Lindbergh. That’s a positive.”

Schneider said he drives through the construction every day to go to work at on Waterford and Lindbergh. He said during the past few months, he’s noticed no buckles or missing pieces in the sidewalk that used to be there as well as a lot of adjoining walls added to the street.

“It gives you an overall warm feeling,” Schneider said of the improvements.

Former Mayor Robert Lowery worked with the East-West Gateway Council to obtain $1.7 million in federal funding for the second phase of the project, and he touted it as an important piece of Florissant.

“I don’t know how much you believe this is vital to the city of Florissant, but it is vital,” Lowery said at the ribbon cutting ceremony for part two. “It will be a showcase to the city of Florissant.”

Schneider estimates the first portion of the project was finished more than 10 years ago, and since its completion has had few vacancies along that stretch and several businesses have revamped their design or signage.

"It's one of the main entrances of our city," he said in a phone interview with Florissant Patch. "It shows a vibrant community with thriving businesses and that bodes well for any community." 

In the future, Schneider said—if funding could be acquired—he'd like to see the beautification extend to New Halls Ferry and possibly Old Halls Ferry roads. 

"It's essential," Schneider said. "You can see the results we had from (Interstate) 270 to Washington. We have businesses reinvesting in property. We don't see any vacancies on Lindbergh on that stretch at all.”

SEE MORE LINDBERGH LINKS STORIES
- Drive south to Hazelwood Patch: Hazelwood Reminisces on the Boulevard’s Changing Face
- Link to all our Lindbergh stories and videos
- History: A Long Boulevard, a Lengthy History