After over a year of discussion, the Crestwood Board of Aldermen has officially decided on a traffic calming plan for Liggett Avenue. Three mini-roundabouts — otherwise called “mini-rounds” or traffic circles — will be installed at Liggett’s intersections with Coffey Court and Leawood and Grovena drives.
According to the city, the project is expected to cost $10,895. The current plan is for the mini-rounds to be implemented in-house, but they will follow the provided plans by traffic engineers at Crawford, Murphy & Tilly (CMT).
The motion was passed 6-1; Ward 1 Alderman Jim Zavist was the only member of the board who did not vote in favor of the resolution. During discussion, he said he preferred a secondary plan that suggested raised bump-outs at intersections, effectively narrowing the roadway.
In April 2025, a temporary mini-round was erected at the intersection of Liggett and Leawood Drive — meant to simulate the city’s tentative plan for traffic calming. The mini-round was divisive. Over the course of the past year, multiple neighbors have appeared at Board of Aldermen meetings to comment that they believe mini-rounds are hard to navigate and even dangerous.
“This is the city’s third traffic calming project, and it has — by far — a more extensive review by staff and more public feedback than any,” Mayor Scott Shipley said. “In fact, I think other than our Parks Master Plan, I can’t think of a single city project that has had more discussion and review than this one.”
Crestwood hired CMT to evaluate the mini-rounds plan and make other recommendations. At the board’s April 14 meeting, CMT representative John Keeven presented alternative methods of traffic calming for the board’s consideration, though he added, “(Mini-rounds) would probably reduce speed the most at intersections.”
Four individuals from Liggett Avenue and its surrounding neighborhoods rose during public comment to address the board. Two of them opposed the mini-rounds and called for the board to consider the raised bump-outs option, while Amanda Bjornson urged the Board of Aldermen to seriously consider CMT’s comment that mini-rounds were most effective at reducing speed.
Julie Hoffman, a resident of Liggett, said she hoped the board could quickly and effectively make a decision after a year of deliberation and preparation.
“I’ve been here for eight years, and speeding has been a huge issue for the entire time I’ve lived here,” Hoffman said. “I’m just ready to see some action be taken.”
During discussion, Ward 3 Alderman Grant Mabie voiced his approval for the mini-rounds by explaining, “My inclination is to go with what is the more effective plan. Hopefully it works, and we don’t have the parade of horribles that some folks suggested might happen. … If we put these in, and experience shows that it doesn’t work out, it’s nothing that a jackhammer can’t correct.”
Each mini-round will be “a 12-foot diameter, traversable center island constructed of 3-inch-high red stamped concrete, bordered by a yellow perimeter ring for enhanced visibility,” according to city staff. They are expected to be one foot smaller than the plastic, temporary mini-round installed at Liggett and Leawood last April.
“The mock-up of that mini-round was poorly executed and will not be the standard of one that’s really installed,” Ward 2 Alderperson Rebecca Now said. “I would hope that it would be accepted by those on the surrounding streets, as well as on Liggett.”
Though a construction timeline has not been established, the project will begin with modifications to the surrounding sidewalks before the installation of the mini-rounds. Shipley says the city will continue to do “follow-up monitoring” of the mini-rounds for safety and efficacy following their installation.
