Two construction contracts are now in place in Warson Woods. Fred M. Luth & Sons will rebuild Warson Woods Drive, and PCX Construction will replace the Forest View Drive bridge. The road segment runs from Andrew Drive to North Drive. Then on Saturday, Nov. 21, the James "Frenchy" Lambert Memorial Trot Thru the Woods starts at Royal Oak Park, 900 Warson Woods Drive, with the 5K going off at 8 a.m. The race organizers say they are still working out this year's course because of the road construction.
The city has one main residential street, and this fall that street is the construction project, the race start and the way into the park.
One street carries most of the city's shared space
Royal Oak Park sits on Warson Woods Drive. The city's history page lists playground equipment, two tennis courts, a basketball court, a pavilion and the swimming pool there. The city's resident packet adds that the pavilion has a fireplace, seating and restrooms, and that there is a community fire pit near the playground.
The bridge project is on Forest View Drive, which meets Warson Woods Drive at a creek corner. In August, the Board of Aldermen tabled a discussion about debris in the easement between the creek and a fence at the corner of Warson Woods Drive and Forest View Drive. So whatever happens on Warson Woods Drive this fall also happens on the street that leads to the city's busiest public space.
The rebuild took two rounds of bidding
The road project nearly slipped into next year. At its June 30 meeting, the Board of Aldermen rejected the first bid, which covered both projects together, and voted to rebid the road and the bridge separately.
By Aug. 18, the public works report had a new timeline. Bids would close Sept. 23, the award was expected Sept. 29, and work would begin "in Fall of 2026 or Spring of 2027." The two separate bid notices went out on Aug. 26. The road notice covers Warson Woods Drive from Andrew Drive to North Drive, with a concrete roadway, drainage and related improvements. The bridge notice covers a concrete roadway, a structural bridge deck and drainage. The Sept. 29 board agenda listed ordinances authorizing agreements with both contractors.
The city's announcement settled which of the two start dates it would be. "Work is expected to begin this fall," the city posted, and both contractors "will be pushing to complete as much as possible this year," with weather deciding how far they get before winter. An earlier Webster-Kirkwood Times report had a spring start. The same report described the finished road as concrete, kept at a consistent width so two vehicles can pass, and said 13 of the 52 trees first flagged as possibly affected would be removed.
Here is what is public about the project so far.
| Status as of mid-October 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Road contractor | Fred M. Luth & Sons |
| Bridge contractor | PCX Construction |
| Road segment | Warson Woods Drive, Andrew Drive to North Drive |
| Start | Expected this fall |
| Finished surface | Concrete roadway with drainage improvements |
| How far work gets in 2026 | Depends on weather before winter |
| Schedules and traffic impacts | The city says it will share them as they become available |
A fall start, with crews pushing to finish as much as weather allows before winter, puts the construction season in the same weeks as the city's longest-running neighborhood race.
A race built for these streets is redrawing its map
The Trot Thru the Woods calls itself an annual 5K and fun run "through the beautiful Warson Woods residential streets." The Warson Woods Running Club organizes it. The whole race is designed around the city's own blocks, so it depends on those blocks more than an event held on a closed arterial would.
This year the race also has a new name. The organizers renamed it for former Warson Woods resident James Lambert, known as Frenchy, who was one of the race's original founders 15 years ago. They say they are carrying the name forward with his #choosepositive message. So the first race under his name is also the first one that has to plan around a rebuild of the street its start line is on.
Under "Course," the organizers' page currently says, "Due to road construction in Warson Woods, we are still determining this years course. Check back for updates!" The course map page at runwarsonwoods.com is where the final route will be posted.
The race-day schedule is already set:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| Fri., Nov. 20, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. | Bib pickup and late registration |
| Sat., Nov. 21, 7:00 to 7:45 a.m. | Bib pickup and late registration |
| 8:00 a.m. | 5K |
| 9:00 a.m. | Kids Fun Run, about half a mile |
| 9:20 a.m. | 5K awards |
Awards go to the top male and female finishers overall and in age groups from 7 and under through 60 and up. Every kid in the fun run gets a prize. A photographer will be there, and so will "the famous running turkey."
Getting to Royal Oak Park on race morning
There is no parking at Royal Oak Park on race day. Parking is behind Warson Woods City Hall, and from there it's "a short walk downhill to the race site." There is also no street parking on Warson Woods Drive between Renderer and Andrew. The Race Roster listing gives City Hall's address as 10015 Manchester Road and asks people to arrive early because spaces are limited.
Andrew Drive marks one end of the no-parking stretch and also one end of the road rebuild segment. Walking down from City Hall on Manchester keeps runners and families off the curbs on that part of Warson Woods Drive.
Anyone who wants coffee before an 8 a.m. start has one close by. According to the Webster-Kirkwood Times, 7 Brew formally opened at 10001 Manchester Road on Feb. 23, a few doors from City Hall.
The dates that come before Nov. 21
The race is about a month away, but some deadlines come sooner:
- Now through Nov. 1: 5K registration costs $25, and the Kids Fun Run is free.
- Before Nov. 1: 5K registrants who sign up by this date are guaranteed a T-shirt. Fun run families can add a shirt for $15.
- After Nov. 1 and on race day: The 5K goes up to $30, and the fun run costs $5.
- Fri., Nov. 20: Early bib pickup, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Royal Oak Park.
- Any time before race day: Check runwarsonwoods.com for the final course and the City of Warson Woods live feed for construction schedules and traffic impacts as the city releases them.
Registration is through the Race Roster event page.
The city's earlier fall event, the free Fall Festival with carnival rides and live music from 120 Minutes, took place on Oct. 2. That makes the Trot the next neighborhood gathering on the calendar, and it will be held at Royal Oak Park on Warson Woods Drive.
Road work and a neighborhood race on the same street tend to change how a block looks and how easy it is to get to, at least for a while. If you're thinking about how the Warson Woods Drive rebuild might affect timing for a sale or move on or near that street, Finest Homes Network can follow the city's updates with you and help you plan around them. Schedule a consultation whenever you're ready.
