Volvo more important than pedestrian crosswalk

I was pleased last year when the city finally painted the crosswalk lines and installed a “no parking here to corner” sign on St. Charles St at 10th St. Today the driver of a blue Volvo decided their car was more important than than pedestrians who need the crosswalk and ramp.

Yes, I called the police to report the illegally parked Volvo but who knows if they made it to ticket the car. I left my card under the wiper and I hope the owner reads this.  If so, here is a message just for him/her:

I use a wheelchair and I had to go a block out of my way — twice — because you decided to park so that the ramp I need was blocked.  Thank you so very much for visiting downtown today, please come back often.  I called the police and gave them your plate number so they could help welcome you.

I’m guessing where they live they don’t have pedestrians.

– Steve Patterson

Poll: Prop A transit tax passed, now what?

Last week voters in St. Louis County approved a half cent sales tax for transit:

In November 2008 the same measure was narrowly defeated by a narrow margin (48.45% to 51.55%).  Now what?

“The sales tax increase will generate about $80 million a year for Metro. The measure also triggers a previously passed 0.25 percent tax increase in the city of St. Louis.

By the end of the year, the bus and light-rail agency will restore all the routes and service it had to cut last year, said Metro President and Chief Executive Bob Baer. Metro will also be able to maintain and add jobs, he said. “Instead of a loss of 600 jobs, we’ll be adding 125,” he said.”  (full story: Voters approve Metro tax – St. Louis Business Journal)

So the poll question this week is what would you like to see in the way of changes & improvements to the system.  Obviously the prior level of service will return but I think we should expect more. Some of you have said you’d like route maps and schedules posted at bus stops.  I’d like to see Metro add GPS to buses and display at bus stops how long until the next bus arrives. For the poll in the right column I’ve listed a few items but feel free to add to the list.  As always, share your thoughts in the comments below.

– Steve Patterson

Some cities planting public fruit trees

A recent USA Today article caught my attention: More urbanites have their pick of fresh fruit:

Fruit-picking opportunities like that are becoming more common, as volunteers in cities including Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia and Madison, Wis., mobilize behind a goal of planting fruit trees on public land in city parks and neighborhoods.

Free fruit also is available for picking in season on public land in Chicago, San Francisco, Austin, Minneapolis and New York, according to neighborhoodfruit.com, a site that helps people track down available fruit.

Interesting idea, the idea of growing public fruit is appealing.

– Steve Patterson

Dog run opened in Lucas Park

Last Saturday the dog run in Downtown’s Lucas Park finally opened for business.

After the ribbon was cut we all went inside the gates. The pavement inside allowed my chair to easily wheel inside. While I was there a cute little dog jumped up to greet me.

The following is video from the event including a bit at the end with 25th Ward Alderman Shane Cohn:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpTcC4EOflg

More information can be found at downtownstl10.org.

I don’t have a dog nor do I plan to get one, however, I’ve seen enough dog runs to know that when done properly they are a huge asset that can build real community. We should have as a goal to have an off-leash dog park within a 10-15 minute walk of every residence in the City of St. Louis within 5 years.

– Steve Patterson

St. Louis’ first ban on smoke

On April 8th St. Louis took action to get rid of damaging smoke.  The year was 1940 and the smoke was from coal fired furnaces. The problem had been building for years.  Time magazine explains:

The burly head of Bernard Francis (“Barney”) Dickmann, the enterprising bachelor realtor who is St. Louis’ mayor until at least April 6 (municipal election day), last week literally was in a smoky fog, and had been there for many winter weeks. The murk over St. Louis has been so thick that the new Governor of Missouri, Lloyd Crow Stark, an enterprising nurseryman, could not see the city streets when he flew over during an inspection of the Ohio-Mississippi flood. He wished that Mayor Dickmann would sign a pending city ordinance to abate the smoke which makes St. Louis grimier than notorious Pittsburgh.   (Medicine: St. Louis Smoke Monday, Feb. 22, 1937)

Dickmann was reelected as Mayor but it would be another three years before he’d get a bill from the Board of Aldermen to sign into law.

During Mayor Dickmann’s administration, the city also enacted a Smoke Ordinance, and took steps to reduce the air pollution created by the extensive use of coal for home heating and industrial use in the city. (Wikipedia: Dickman)

A key figure in banning smoke was future mayor Tucker:

Tucker served in Mayor Bernard F. Dickmann’s administration from 1934 to 1937, during which time he served as City Smoke Commissioner. From 1939 to 1941, he was secretary to Mayor Dickmann’s Survey and Audit Committee which sponsored the Griffenhagen Report on St. Louis City Government. In part of 1940 and 1941, he was Director of Public Safety. (Wikipedia: Tucker)

Can you imagine smoke so bad you had to use lanterns to see during the day? It took years to ban the cause of the smoke because many fought the change.  Today, 70 years later, I’m so glad they got it done despite those who objected.

– Steve Patterson