Saturday July 18th: World Naked Bike Ride St. Louis

Tomorrow night is one of my favorite events — the World Naked Bike Ride:

The World Naked Bike Ride in St. Louis is part of an international event to raise awareness of cyclist rights and vulnerability on the road, and promote positive body image and  protest oil dependency.

This year’s 8th annual World Naked Bike Ride in St. Louis will take place on Saturday, July 18. The pre-ride WNBR festival and rally will take place on Manchester Ave. in the Grove,  between Sarah and Kentucky. Stay tuned for more details on the time of the event!

Ride safe and at your own risk! (World Naked Bike Ride St. Louis)

From the World Naked Bike Ride St. Louis website:

A few important things:

• We encourage you to be safe, wear a helmet and have lights on your bike
• We ask that photographers and press help create a safe space by being respectful and asking CONSENT to photograph, and encouraging others to do so!
• Although you can be as bare as you dare during the ride, the St. Louis city requests that we cover our privates at the pre/post party

This year’s ride is 12 miles through the city, see the route here. The ride starts & stops on Manchester in The Grove.

If only I could still ride a bike…

— Steve Patterson

Older Coin Parking Meters Now Accept Credit Cards, Smartphone Required

Eighty years ago today the very first parking meter was installed, in Oklahoma City of all places. For decades parking meters were entirely mechanical devoices, prone to mechanical failures.

But the meter has been changing as new technology allows. The City of St. Louis is in the process of replacing the digital coin-operated meters that were installed about 20 years ago.

In the meantime, the old meters have been updated to accept credit cards — sorta. Those of us with smartphones can set up an app to pay the parking fees with plastic. This convenience costs 35¢ 30 cents extra — the same convenience fee as the new meters & pay stations that are being installed.

Parking rates increased throughout the city at the start of the month, so those who like using coins will need more.

New electronic meters in the city will charge $1.50 an hour throughout most of the high-usage downtown and downtown west areas, up from the $1 an hour they were as of Tuesday. Lower-usage meters in the remainder of the city will rise to $1 from the previous 75 cents.

Penalties for failing to pay at meters also will go up. The previous $10 fee — which turned to $20 if it wasn’t paid within two weeks — now will start at $15 and rise to $30 if it’s paid late. However, fine recipients now will have three weeks to pay instead of two. (Post-Dispatch)

Old & new meters don’t accept bills — coins or plastic. For more information see the Treasurer’s new parking website: ParkLouie.com.

— Steve Patterson

Readers Not Interested in Poll on Hot Spot Policing

Only ten votes in Sunday’s poll, less than a third of the usual number. This could be because 1) I moved the poll location from the sidebar to the body post, 2) because of the topic/phrasing, or 3) a combination.

Q: How effective is “Hot Spot Policing”?

1. Somewhat good 5 [33.33%]
2. Good 3 [20%]
3. TIE 2 [13.33%]
   1. Somewhat poor
   2. Unsure/No Answer
   3. Very poor
4. Neutral 1 [6.67%]
5. TIE: 0 [0%]
   1. Poor
   2. Very good

I have no insight into the question, but “Hot Spot Policing” doesn’t seem to address the root causes of much of our crime in the areas targeted. Some headlines this year:

• January: St. Louis takes another shot at hot-spot policing
• February: Hot spot policing effort starts in Dutchtown, Gravois Park neighborhoods
• March: Hot spot policing efforts start today in north city
• April: Police target south St. Louis neighborhoods in hot spot policing effort
• May: Police target five north St. Louis neighborhoods in hot spot policing effort
• July: St. Louis reaches 93 homicides for 2015

Perhaps crime would be worse if hot spot policing wasn’t used? We shouldn’t continue ignoring the root causes though.

— Steve Patterson

Car Hit Planters & Scaffolding Outside Condemned Parking Garage

Early Monday morning a car hit planters & scaffolding on the Tucker sidewalk, at Locust.

A car crashed into the side of a downtown building just before 1:00 Monday morning near Tucker Boulevard and Locust Street.  (KMOV)

KMOV’s report says after inspection the building was “deemed safe.” More accurately, the car didn’t damage the building, but it was condemned months ago.

This scaffolding has now been in place for more than a year. All the work had been inside, but that stopped months ago.

Prior posts:

• December: Parking Garage Undergoing Time-Consuming Multi-Million Dollar Restoration; Businesses Closed, Jobs Lost
• March: Downtown’s Papa John’s Pizza To Reopen In Different Parking Garage
• April: Parking Garage Repairs Halted, Emergency Structural Condemnation Issued

The scaffolding was in place to prevent debris from falling to the public sidewalk below. With work stopped, I have to wonder how long it’ll remain in place? Is there a point where the city will force the owner &/or contractor to remove it from the pubic right-of-way?

— Steve Patterson

Arch Visitors Walk Where Sidewalk Used To Be, Should Be Again

Currently there’s only one way in/out of the Arch grounds — via Walnut Street over I-44 (formerly I-70).  While the new lid at the center is being completed, everyone is routed via the new bridge over the interstate, on the North side of Walnut Street. However, at some point, St. Louis removed the sidewalk on the North side of Walnut St, between Memorial (3rd St) and 4th.

Looking at the 1997 National Register nomination of the American Zinc building, the sidewalk was in place. Most likely the sidewalk was removed when Drury Inn combined it with two other buildings, see Drury steps up plans for hotel at Fur Exchange site.

Looking at GEO St. Louis it appears this remains part of the public right-of-way (PROW), not vacated to private interests. The PROW was reallocated to give pedestrian space to automobiles. At the time the Cardinals played in Busch Stadium II and Walnut Street was a major point of vehicular egress after games.

I think we need to examine the Walnut PROW to see if the amount for vehicle travel can be reduced by one lane so that a sidewalk can be replaced. Remember, hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent to connect the Arch ground to downtown. The lack of a sidewalk connecting to the South highway crossing point is a huge disconnect.

People know the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

— Steve Patterson