Citizens For Modern Transit’s Tom Shrout Has Retired

Earlier in the week Tom Shrout retired after 22 years as the head of the transit advocacy organization Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT). I always knew Tom had done a lot to get MetroLink light rail going but I learned in greater detail from the CMT board members (past & present) who spoke. Tom is a true transit user and advocate.

The follow are comments CMT’s Grace Corbin made at the annual meeting on 9/17/2010:

“For the last 22 years, Executive Director Tom Shrout has served at the helm of CMT – helping to make great strides in public transit for the region. When Tom took over the organization in 1988, the public transit system in St. Louis was very different. St. Louis had no light rail, no car sharing, low transit ridership, no real Amtrak station, and not much belief in the need for a good transit system for the region. Through his quiet steadfast leadership at the helm, the membership of CMT has helped to build the political and public will to change the landscape of public transit.

During his tenure, the region has seen the opening of not one but three light rail lines – spanning more than 40 miles, between 2 states and a river. There have been significant increases in bus and train ridership gaining national recognition. A car sharing program, WeCAR by Enterprise was inaugurated. With the passage of Prop. A., now there is the commitment on the part of the region to ensure a good public transit system to build livable communities with light rail. All the while, Tom led by example, taking MetroLink to work everyday, going to a one-car family, zipping around in WeCar. . . Tom believed that if we built transit, people would ride it and they did in droves.

Tom had the foresight for CMT to bank more than 8 miles of right-of-way for future expansion. This proved critical for the Cross county line. It was through his foresight and guidance, the CMT Board took a major financial risk this year to subsidize the educational campaign – “Some of us Ride it, All of us Need it” even though many said the campaign was naïve. The campaign was a huge success with people quoting it on the streets, in speeches, Facebook and everywhere we turned. Prop. A passed with 63 percent of the votes – all with Tom leading the public education charge.

Time and time again, Tom has proven that public transit, and in particular light rail is the way to build livable, sustainable communities – truly living and leading the mission of CMT.”

Fortunately Tom, and his wife Debbie, will continue living in the Central West End and Tom will sit on the CMT board. CMT has established the Tom Shrout Endowment Fund for educational purposes to move transit forward in the region. The goal is to raise $22,000.

Thank you Tom Shrout, you’ve made a lasting contribution to our region, each time I swipe my monthly pass on the bus or board a light rail train I will think of you!

– Steve Patterson

No Bike-N-Ride In St. Clair County Illinois

Using bike racks on the front of local buses is a great way to combine two efficient modes of transportation but interestingly those in St. Clair County don’t know the benefits.

Sometimes two-wheel transportation just isn’t enough to get you there. All MetroBus vehicles, except those in St. Clair County, IL, are equipped with easy-to-use external bike carriers. (emphasis added)

The above is the first sentence of Metro’s Bike-N-Ride page.  Really, no bike racks? Metro buses in Missouri all have racks as do buses operated by Madison County Transit.

I found it hard to believe that one county in our region had bus service sans bike-n-ride.  I had to see for myself.

Sure enough, the buses operated by Metro and serving St. Clair County IL don’t have bike racks.  I’ve been told if a bus from Missouri is reassigned to St. Clair County the rack is removed.  For me this is a “WTF?” moment.

Don’t blame Metro, they are under contract with the St. Clair County Transit District:

The St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD) was created in 1981 under the Illinois Mass Transit District Act. SCCTD does not operate any buses directly but has executed contracts with others to provide transportation service for the fifteen townships that make up the District. The fifteen Townships in the District include:Belleville, Canteen, Caseyville, Centreville, East St. Louis, Engelmann, Lebanon, Mascoutah, O’Fallon, St. Clair, Shiloh Valley, Smithton, Stites, Stookey, Sugarloaf

How is it possible that a transit board, appointed by the chairman of the St. Clair County board, could short change so many?  So I asked why no bike-n-ride.  I received a very prompt reply:

“Because the chairperson of the st. Clair county transit district board does not want them on the buses. Her name is Delores Lysakowski. You can contact her mon- fri at 618-628-8090.”

So one person decided an entire county should receive a different level of bus service than others in the region! Thankfully she hasn’t disconnected the wheelchair lifts — yet. If you disagree with Delores Lysakowski’s decision to prevent bike-n-ride in St. Clair County, please contact St. Clair County Transit to let them know.

– Steve Patterson

Weekend Events For The St. Louis Urbanist

This weekend brings some interesting events, good excuses to explore areas you may not know as well as others.

Great Forest Park Balloon Race

“The 2010 Great Forest Park Balloon Race is scheduled for Saturday, September 18, 2010 and will take place on Central Field in Forest Park, near the Jewel Box. The Balloon Glow will take place on Friday, September 17, 2010 also on Central Field. A detailed event schedule for the 2010 race is available here.”

Open Streets #3

Open Streets combines elements of your neighborhood block party, a day at the gym, and a relaxing weekend morning. It’s a chance to exercise, an opportunity to people watch, and a great time to enjoy our region’s wonderful spring and fall weather.

Sunday September 19 2010 8am-1pm, map

Have a great weekend!

– Steve Patterson

PR: Mayor Slay, Downtown Partnership Announce Downtown Bike Center

The following is a press release:
Mayor Francis G. Slay, the Partnership for Downtown St. Louis, the Downtown CID and Loftworks today announced that the funding is finalized to create the region’s first public commuter bike center.

The public Downtown Bike Center will offer cyclists a place to secure their bike, store their bike gear, and shower before coming to work. The City anticipates these services will be available late this Fall for a monthly fee.

The public Downtown Bike Center will use 1300 square feet of the ground floor of the 1011 Locust Street building, which is owned by Loftworks. The building that will house the bike station is right downtown – located on the northwest corner of Locust and Tenth Streets – and is within two blocks of a Metrolink station. The building has been restored using Historic Tax Credits, and is on track to obtain LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Council.

The City of St. Louis applied for a Federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant from the Department of Energy to specifically fund this project. These funds were designated for energy-saving projects, and had to be approved by the Department of Energy. From the grant the City received, $181,600 will cover the costs to buy the lockers, interior bike racks, and fund the operational costs of the Downtown Bike Center’s first two years. The Downtown Community Improvement District and other partners will provide additional funding.

“We are building a City that provides an attractive way of life. After World War II, the car was a symbol of freedom. For some people today, it is just the opposite,” said Mayor Slay. “We look forward to working with the Downtown St. Louis CID and Loftworks to ensure the long-term success of this public bike center and the City’s cycling initiative.”

“This project will help cement Downtown as a walkable, livable neighborhood where you can rely on alternatives to the car,” said Maggie Campbell, Partnership President and CEO. “We are thrilled to be working with the community to realize this sustainable investment.”

“Since vehicle emissions contribute about a third of the Greenhouse Gasses into the environment, we wanted to use these ARRA Stimulus funds to promote an alternative mode of transportation,” said Catherine Werner, the City’s Sustainability Director. “By enabling St. Louis commuters to choose cycling as an affordable and attractive option, the City is demonstrating its commitment to being a healthy and sustainable community.”pre

Readers Support Replacing Downtown Highway With Boulevard

I’ve been doing weekly polls for a year and a half and in the time I’ve noticed a pattern with the voting as the week goes by the percentage of each answer stays roughly the same as the total vote count grows. Sometimes a few answers will switch places.  Last week was different, the answer opposing highway removal was in last place for the first few day with just under 5% of the votes.

By Sunday morning when I changed the poll it had shot up to get the most votes of any single answer — 172.  The “yes” votes, however, total 186.

Q: Now that 4 of 5 City+Arch+River teams say highway removal is best, do you agree the highway should be replaced with a boulevard from the PSB to Cass?

1. No, highway lanes are still needed 172 [43.32%]
2. Yes, start the day after the new I-70 bridge opens in Spring 2014, even though the boulevard would not be complete on 10/28/2015 (Arch 50th Anniv) 127 [31.99%]
3. Yes, any time in the next decade is good. 37 [9.32%]
4. Inclined to agree, but I want to see a traffic study first 23 [5.79%]
5. Yes, start October 29, 2015, the day after the 50th Anniversary of the Arch (anniversary + ground breaking in one event) 22 [5.54%]
6. Maybe but I need to see the traffic after the new I-70 bridge opens 8 [2.02%]
7. Other answer… 7 [1.76%]
8. Unsure/no opinion 1 [0.25%]

The other votes were:

1. Start today!
2. who’s paying? we have other priorities.
3. Start immediately–remove the lanes completely, create a boulevard.
4. There needs to be a quick and efficient way to bypass downtown from the east.
5. Can I get a hell yes?!
6. begin now
7. Yes! Get rid of the Highway ASAP!

It is clear to me from these results that someone, or a group of persons, against removing the highway, made an effort to throw off the vote count. Also clear is that among those who support replacing the highway with a boulevard favor starting work as soon as possible, even if not done by the 50th anniversary of the Arch.

The following needs to happen:

• Do a very comprehensive traffic study to see how to make the boulevard work in conjunction with other north-south roads.
• Look at redesigning the interchange at the new I-70 bridge so that traffic heading into downtown from the direction of the airport is directed onto a boulevard approach.
• Build the first part of the boulevard between the new bridge and the start of the elevated lanes.
• Change connections to tie in 4th & Broadway into the new boulevard.
• Hold the ground breaking for the rest of the boulevard at the same time as the 50th anniversary of the Arch.

I’d previously noted that four of the five teams in the City+Arch+River competition supported removing the highway.  On Thursday last week the 5th team indicated they assumed highway removal after 2015!