Woman Killed on Dangerous Stretch of New Halls Ferry Road in St. Louis County
A 36-year-old woman was struck and killed by a vehicle Friday night while walking along New Halls Ferry Road — a known hazardous area for pedestrians in north St. Louis County.
The crash occurred around 9:30 p.m. near the intersection of New Halls Ferry Road and Sugar Pine Drive. The woman, identified by police as S’scence Tidwell, was transported to a hospital, where she later died. Tidwell lived about five miles from the crash site.
According to investigators, Tidwell was in the roadway when she was hit. The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation. No further details have been released.
This fatality comes less than a year after another pedestrian, 71-year-old Archie Green, was killed by a hit-and-run driver near the same intersection.
A report released by Trailnet, a St. Louis nonprofit that promotes safer streets, revealed that 2024 was the deadliest year on record for pedestrians in both the city and county. In total, 59 pedestrians were killed—23 in the city and 36 in the county.
The New Halls Ferry Road corridor had the second-highest number of pedestrian deaths or injuries in the county in 2024, with 13 incidents. Between 2021 and 2024, eight pedestrians or cyclists were killed along this stretch, tying it with West Florissant Avenue as one of the most dangerous roads per mile.
A particularly troubling section lies just north of Interstate 270 and south of Sugar Pine Drive, where five of the 2023 crashes occurred within a 500-foot span.
Trailnet’s report stressed the urgent need for improved pedestrian safety infrastructure on New Halls Ferry.
In response, the Missouri Department of Transportation is planning safety upgrades from Dunn Road to Shackelford Road. These improvements include:
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High-visibility crosswalks
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Flashing stop signs
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Reflective traffic light borders
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Chevron signs for curves
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Low medians with rumble strips to reduce dangerous turns
Public input on the project was gathered earlier this year, and the upgrades are part of a broader $52 million metro-wide safety initiative.
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