Jefferson Ave Is Still Too Wide
Jefferson Ave has been a major 6-lane roadway for decades, but with substantially fewer residents and interstate highways, it has been excessively wide. Recent work along Jefferson between Chouteau and Market have reduced the number of travel lanes to four, with plus bike lanes added to the mix. Unfortunately, the road is still too wide.
This was the perfect opportunity to place the curb in a position to give excess width to the sidewalk, giving room for street trees to separate pedestrians from passing cars.
See my earlier post: Jefferson Avenue Needs A Road Diet, Corridor Study
— Steve Patterson
While not completely the right way to do it, leaving that area striped as it is is helpful for buses. One needs only look at Grand (SLU Med School), where the buses on the new diet section stop half in the bike lane, half in the driving lane, causing all sorts of problems on the ‘reduced’ lane area. Most of the time, one lane can do, but during rush, two lanes really are needed on some of these arteries for any amount of good flow. And with ‘half a lane’ being taken its a bit dangerous at times as people squeeze by. While building a true diet, with bus pull outs, is better, this striped lane allows flexibility during breakdowns, bus stops, even construction down the road.
the bus doesn’t go to this part of jefferson
The NB #11 bus does http://www.metrostlouis.org/Libraries/Metrobus_Maps/Map11083010.pdf
hmm, that map is from 2010… I’ve been on the 11 recently, but I guess it was out bound from downtown so it didn’t go that way. You sure it still does? anywho, we need a metrolink station there more than anything, look at wells fargoe right there.
It goes NB on Jefferson returning to downtown. I long thought a MetroLink station at Jefferson or a block west should be considered.
Jefferson is extra wide near the bridge for a reason. If MoDOT and the city ever get around to building the 22nd St interchange, a new left turn lane will be added for southbound to eastbound traffic, thus filling in the painted space.
Huh? You mean if they make on/off ramps to the east of Jefferson? Wouldn’t a single point interchange work better here?
MoDOT, I’m sure, would prefer full highway access to/from both Jefferson and 22nd St. Since the two streets are too close together, they would be linked with outer roads much like the Brentwood/Hanley interchange.
I don’t see a route for a 22nd street parkway north of Olive — too many rehabbed/occupied buildings. MoDOT should abandon the 22nd street interchange completely, adding in/off ramps to the east of Jefferson.
From the Northside Regeneration website. The interchange obscured by the black bar at the bottom of the image.
Yes, I’ve seen that. Another has it curving over to Jefferson @ MLK. The curved route might let it avoid many buildings in the path. I don’t see the straight line working.