Signs are all around us, sometimes in confusing proximity to each other.
ABOV, center: A sign for parking below a no-parking sign for a bus stop.
If you’re familiar with the Delmar Loop area you’ll likely know the blue sign is for the large parking lot behind the buildings. With so many signs is there a tipping point where they just get ignored? Placing these on separate polls/posts a few feet apart wouldn’t necessarily be an improvement.
Sign placement and effectiveness needs to be evaluated by someone, especially in busy commercial districts.
ABOVE: After leaving the train two head though the opening in the fenceABOVE: This route is a well-worn path in the field on the opposite side of the track from the University of Missouri North Campus.
Like other stations, this has been in use for over 19 years now. The campus side of the station wasn’t designed for pedestrians and the other side has been ignored.
ABOVE: The “desire lines” are very evident despite the fact nothing new has been built oriented to transit. Click image to view in Google Maps
I’m not optimistic about how this area will get developed, when it does eventually. I’m afraid it’ll end up like other stations — very auto-centric rather than being pedestrian-centric. The potential is enormous.
The North Hanley MetroLink station (map) was one of the original stations when our light rail system opened on July 31, 1993. Unfortunately, after 19+ years, it has yet to see any Transit Oriented Development (TOD). But finally it is getting some attention:
CMT received a grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health to look at areas surrounding MetroLink stations in our communities. We are asking for your help to create a healthier place to live through better use of our transit system.
Our goal is to get the community’s opinions about development near MetroLink and walkable neighborhoods. What do you like about the station? What would you like to see near your station? How is access to your station?
The North Hanley Station is located in unincorporated St. Louis County. How does this effect the zoning around the station?
We will a facilitator on-site to lead us on our walkabout and to help facilitate conversations about the possibilities for the community. (CMT)
I attended this walkabout as I’d never explored the area before, though I had switched from light rail to MetroBus here a few times.
ABOVE: Julie Padberg-White (left) led the Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) walkabout at the North Hanley MetroLink station on October 12. 2012.ABOVE: The only structure at North Hanley is a parking garage, added after the station opened in 1993.ABOVE: The only thing at the station currently is 1,583 parking spaces (926 surface, 657 in garage)ABOVE: Developer & CMT Chair Don C Musick plans to develop the land to the south of the station property. Photo from May 28, 2011.ABOVE: The likelihood anyone, except service employees, are going to walk past the parking garage and through the parking lot to cross University Pl Dr is slim. The blue arrow and circle shows the point where transit riders are concentrated.
What about the headquarters of Express Scripts you might ask. Yes it is located next to the light rail line and is visible from the station platform, but at best it is transit-adjacent development. Although just a short distance, employees use a bus shuttle rather than walk because of the poor physical design of the station. Again, the surface and structured parking are a huge barrier.
ABOVE: The red line shows the current pedestrian path around the garage to Express Scripts HQ (right). The blue and green lines are possible more direct routes. The blue shapes are building sites to make the walk more interesting. Click image to view a larger version.ABOVE: The large blue section from the arial above is the background here with Express Scripts just to the right. That blue section is buildable land and due to the grade change a lower level could face the sidewalk and an upper level could face north.ABOVE: Going up the hill toward the station the sidewalk on one side ends, forcing you to cross the bus access drive.ABOVE: Looking down the hill from the top level of the garage we see a sidewalk on one side, not the side nearest the track. Again, the tip to the left of the drive can be developed. The area with the trees on the left is more complicated.ABOVE: Inside this overgrown area is water runoff collection area. Express Scripts roof is visible in the background. Everyone seems to assume this entire area as off limits, including the section near the road. I propose a water feature like Uptown Circle in Normal IL to deal with the water, click image for info on Uptown Circle.
I say build a hotel on the dry hilly part, excavating most of the earth for a lower level to have a restaurant or two serving hotel guests and Express Scripts employees. The forest/drainage area can become a green entry to the hotel. By doing this you’ll make it possible to simplify the walk from the station to Express Scripts.
Scroll back up and look at the map again, the existing route, shown in red, requires pedestrians to cross the same access drive twice. Trying to get pedestrians to take extra steps, cross in front of buses twice and going around a huge parking garage it is no wonder nobody walks to work. But, it can be fixed!
ABOVE: Moving closer to the station we see the point(s) where we could have sidewalks from the station to the left. Buses wait at this point until it is time to move up to the area to load passengers.ABOVE: A trash dumpster is the only thing in the way of extending the existing station sidewalk in the right direction, making it unnecessary to cross the access drive at all.ABOVE: this point is close to where MetroLink passengers leave the platform and is convenient for those using MetroBus as well.ABOVE: Closer up we see the dumpster enclosure blocking the most direct route to Express Scripts.
Maybe a hotel isn’t the best option for that site, although officials said a hotel has been desired for years. If built, it would be the first hotel a traveler could reach from the airport via MetroLink. Also, a hotel adjacent to one of the region’s largest employers would benefit both. The topography would allow for two different levels at grade (north vs south) and the height could be as needed.
I look forward to seeing what CMT’s team comes up with for North Hanley.
To many people stocking up at the grocery store means taking the car, but not everyone thinks that way.
ABOVE: A woman loads two bags of groceries into baskets on her bike in front of Vincent’s on 12th Street in Soulard, Oct 13th.
When I saw this woman come out of Vincent’s pushing a shopping cart with two bags I expected her to go toward the parking lot. Instead she headed to the bike secured to the bus stop sign. Initially was a bit shocked because, like me, she wasn’t a young 20-something. The more I thought about it I realized I know people my age (mid 40s) to well into their 70s that bike everywhere.
If the bus wasn’t about to come I would’ve stopped her to find out more. Given that she has fold-out baskets on her bike I’d say if she has a car at all it doesn’t get used much for grocery shopping.
Those of you who drive everywhere may find it hard to believe that a person can live in St. Louis without a car, but more and more are doing so.
Note the bike racks in the background, not near the entrance. It’s telling she locked her bike to the sign post rather than one of the two bike racks further away.
I never paid much attention to Griffin Delivery because they only delivered in the South Grand area, which I’ve never lived in. But recently I was attending a Public Safety committee meeting at the Board of Aldermen and Griffin Delivery owner Andy Heaslet was there to speak on another bill, mentioning they’d just started food delivery by bike in downtown. My ears perked up and I passed him my card when he sat back down.
ABOVE: Griffin Delivery’s initial downtown cyclist Micah Goulet on 6th St. outside Tortilla Grill.
Eager to try out their delivery service I ordered lunch through their website griffindelivery.com. At that time, last month, they only offered lunch from Pickles Deli (701 Olive) but they’ve since added Tortilla Grille (200 N. 6th) and Lola (500 N. 14th). Heaslet & Goulet told me more restaurants will be added as the service ramps up.
ABOVE: Pickles Deli at 701 Olive was the first downtown restaurant to sign on with Griffin Delivery.
Ordering is done through griffindelivery.com, the menu for each restaurant is part of website. I was able to select the type of bread and cheese for my grilled cheese. You can select to receive email and/or text messages to be notified when the courier arrives at the restaurant and when your food is on the way. My food was still warm when it arrived!
ABOVE: Griffin Delivery’s website is easy to use but they offer a step by step guide, this from step 5. Click image to view instructions.
I personally hate talking on the phone but Griffin Delivery offers a high-tech way to get food delivered from localy-owned restaurants in a low-carbon way — by bike.
ABOVE: Griffin Delivery’s original service areaABOVE: Griffin Delivery’s new downtown delivery area
Right now downtown delivery is weekday lunch and dinner down south, but they are looking to expand hours in both.
On Wednesday morning I ordered lunch 90+ minutes before I wanted to eat, allowing me to concentrate on some work. I can already tell that I’ll be having food delivered more often now, time to set a monthly limit for myself.
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