Readers Mixed on How to Reduce Auto Congestion in Forest Park

A few of you have expressed that you feel the weekly poll results here are predictable. Maybe you’re more perceptive than me because I couldn’t have predicted the outcome of the poll last week.

Here are the final results:

Q: How should we address auto congestion in Forest Park? (Pick up to 3)

1. Run the existing Forest Park Trolley more frequently 44 [21.57%]
2. Build a trolley/streetcar circulator system within the park 35 [17.16%]
3. Change nothing, fine as is 32 [15.69%]
4. Whatever you do don’t allow overhead wires within the park 23 [11.27%]
5. Ban cars in the park at peak times only 17 [8.33%]
6. Charge a toll per car to drive into the park anytime 15 [7.35%]
7. Charge a toll per car to drive into the park at peak times only 11 [5.39%]
8. Ban cars in the park at all times 10 [4.9%]
9. Build an elevated monorail circulator in the park 9 [4.41%]
10. Build an electric bus circulator system within the park 7 [3.43%]
11. Unsure 1 [0.49%]

I’m not sure how I’d feel about tracks and/or overhead wires in Forest Park, but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like a monorail. I included that option as a joke, but 9 voted for it.

Thankfully banning cars all the time got less than 5% of the vote. Comments on the original post showed a variety of viewpoints. I think it is fair to say no consensus was reached, the top three answers above are pretty dissimilar.

The Zoo and the Art Museum are the two biggest generators of autos, besides special events like the Ballon Glow.  The Zoo will be moving most parking across I-64 and using a gondola to get people into an expanded zoo. The Art Museum opens a new wing this coming weekend with a below-grade parking garage:

The design organically links the East Building to the Cass Gilbert. A new grand staircase provides a seamless transition to the lower-level galleries, where a concourse leads to a new café, a gift shop, auditorium and the new 300-space parking garage. (West End Word)

Both of these efforts will help. I think we need a year or two of both changes and evaluate then. In the meantime I’d like to see the Forest Park Trolley become more BRT (bus rapid transit) like with actual stations, longer hours, notification of the next trolley bus, etc. Hybrid buses would be nice to reduce pollution.

— Steve Patterson

Central Library After Hours Book Return For Motorists, Not Pedestrians

Our library system is wonderful, I feel fortunate to live just two blocks from the magnificent Central Library, which recently had a $70 million dollar renovation. Returning a few items the other day when the library wasn’t open I realized the renovation included a new return box.

There I am on the sidewalk in my wheelchair looking for the slot to slide the items in.

I had previously assumed the ramp you see behind the library return box was for passenger loading/unloading, but perhaps it is so pedestrians could easily get into the street to return books & videos.

Most other libraries in St. Louis have easily accessed return boxes, not requiring competing with moving traffic. Here are a few examples:

Does someone at the St. Louis Public Library think everyone downtown drives everywhere? Returning books a few blocks away means getting in the car? Another day I asked a librarian at the circulation desk who confirmed they only have the one return box.

It appears the new book return is accessed from below so librarians don’t need to go out with a cart to retrieve items, a wise choice given the volume at Central. Not providing a way for pedestrians to return items without having to enter the street is yet another example how everyone involved either 1) drives and didn’t consider the pedestrian viewpoint or 2) deliberately made a decision to make returns a challenge for pedestrians.

Neither is good.

— Steve Patterson

Potential Development Sites Along Proposed Streetcar Line, Part 7: Vandeventer to Taylor & Children’s Pl

As I’ve done for the last month, this is another post on potential development sites along the proposed initial route of the St. Louis Streetcar.  The sections already reviewed are as follows:

1. Olive 15th-16th
2. Olive 16th-18th
3. 14th & Olive To North Florissant & St. Louis Ave.
4. Olive 18th to Jefferson
5. Jefferson to Compton
6. Compton to Vandeventer
   

This post continues west to the end of the first phase of the route, starting at Lindell & Vandeventer to Lindell & Taylor, south on Taylor to Children’s place at the BJC hospital complex and next to the Central West End MetoBus Transit Center & MetroLink station (map).

Longtime readers know I’ve advocated a modern streetcar line for years connecting Downtown, Midtown/Grand Center, Central West End, and the Loop. My preferred route was to go north on Vandeventer then west on Delmar. I’d still like to see a streetcar on Delmar. Other options to go north from the current proposed route are at Sarah and/or Taylor.  I’d like to see a decision made about future expansion so the track can be added onto without disrupting the Lindell route.

Anyway, here’s a look going west from Vandeventer:

There’s much more development potential here than I originally thought, but with mixed-use projects like 3949 Lindell and the planned City Walk (with a Whole Foods) it could be argued the streetcar is needed in other areas to get development rolling.

Future installments in this series will look at:

1. Development potential in the downtown central business district
2. Some challenge/changes the streetcar will create
3. And a poll(s) on routes for future expansion

Still, I’m excited by the transit the streetcar could provide as well as the level of development it could spur.

— Steve Patterson

Poll: Best Way To Improve Public Transit In North & South St. Louis?

Lately I’ve been posting about the St. Louis Streetcar, a proposed modern streetcar line that’d primarily serve the central corridor from Downtown west to the Central West End. Though the proposed streetcar route includes a spur into North St. Louis, I believe north & south sides of the city have tended to get the short end of the transit infrastructure stick.  Our Metrolink light rail opened 20 years ago serving the central part of the city, and the streetcar will double-down on this area.

I’ll personally benefit since I live downtown, but I’d like better transit options for reaching destinations in north & south city. I recognize many people might live say in north city but work in south city, or vice versa. Existing bus routes like the #70 (Grand) only partially fills the transit needs of the city.

Improvement options I’ve listed in the poll are:

1. Nothing, doesn’t need improving
2. Run existing buses more frequently
3. Reduce/eliminate fares
4. Bigger articulated buses for the busiest routes
5. Buses that go from diesel in the county to electric via overhead wires in the city
6. Bus rapid transit (BRT) lines serving city neighborhoods
7. In-street modern streetcar lines serving city neighborhoods
8. In-street light rail lines running through the city to connect to the county

These answers will be presented in random order in the poll (right sidebar), you can select up to 3 choices. You’ll have the option to provide your own answer as well.

A number of years ago East-West Gateway Council of Governments studied light rail lines through North & South St. Louis to reach North & South St. Louis County, respectively, but it went no further.

So please vote in the poll, located to the right, and share your thoughts in the comments below. I’ll share my views when I post the poll results on Wednesday July 3rd.

— Steve Patterson

Readers: Alderman Freeman Bosley Sr. Should Resign

Given that two years ago readers wanted Ald. Bosley out of office the results of the poll last week shouldn’t be a surprise:

Q: Ald Bosley sent a letter to supporters asking for help paying the remaining $14,276 private college tuition for his daughter he couldn’t cover. Reaction:

1. Bosley has lost the public trust, he should resign 58 [42.03%]
2. Missouri legislature should tighten ethics laws 43 [31.16%]
3. If constituents are upset, they should start a recall campaign 23 [16.67%]
4. Meh, no big deal 11 [7.97%]
5. Unsure/no opinion 3 [2.17%]

Ok, “only” 42% said he should resign, not a majority. But I’m pretty sure many of the 31% who picked the answer about state ethics laws wouldn’t mind if Bosley resigned.

But he’s not going to do so. Why? He has no clue how out of touch he really is, the original letter is proof of that. Unfortunately, he’ll be in office until he’s dead or physically incapacitated.

— Steve Patterson