A vision for St. Louis

“I believe that a city’s vitality is shown through its use of mass transportation.  The trolleys of San Francisco, Portland and Toronto add atmosphere and convenience to users and visitors of their downtown sidewalks.  In Pittsburgh, the downtown trolleys are free.  When trolleys roamed our area, St. Louis was a vital city.  With the convenience of Metrolink comes a responsibility to make downtown transportation even more creative and cost effective than current systems offer.  Push bus service to the edges of the city’s perimeter and permit quieter, battery-powered trolleys to move throughout the heart of downtown.”

The words above are part of an articulate vision for St. Louis – written nearly eight years ago (June 1997). Aaron Williams envisioned a city exciting to both the visitor but also to the resident. A city full of life with street vendors, vibrant MetroLink stops, roaming cabs, and shuttles completing the transportation picture.

“Policies that limit street “action” must be repealed immediately.  Bring back the newspaper and food vendors.  Allow street musicians and other artists to perform once again on our streets and at Metrolink and bus stations.  In Paris and London, street musicians are as varied and abundant as the cultures of residents in those cities.  We must revitalize our urban areas with the sounds and smells that are an integral part of the experience of visiting any thriving downtown.”

Click here to read the full vision

Some things Williams outlined have come to be, most have not. We’ve changed mayors and our costly stadiums have changed names. Williams’ vision remains a worthy goal.

– Steve