Notes From a MetroLink Luncheon

Yesterday I attended a luncheon hosted by CMT & WTS and sponsored by consultants HNTB. Speakers were Metro CEO Larry Salci and East-West Gateway Project Manager Donna Day.

Salci painted a rosy picture of the Cross County MetroLink extension, promising they will meet the budget and time table set in March 2005. That budget, $676 million, is $85 million per mile. Salci also indicated their budget for FY2007, which begins on July 1, 2006, is balanced. However, for FY2008 they are projecting at $28 million deficit due to various reasons such as deferred payments on Cross County, new rules on funding of employee pensions, and operations of the new lines. Salci indicated they plan to ask voters for another 1/4 cent sales tax just to break even.

Salci indicated the public will be “pleasantly surprise” by the completion date. The expected completion is around October but he said they are doing well on their schedule and that we’ll be seeing testing soon. Expect more news next month.

Donna Day elaborated on the Northside/Southside Study that her team is conducting. For the most part her talk was not much more than what we’d get from the study website. For a few months now we’ve been hearing talk of the team evaluating alternate routes to those that were considered the locally preferred routes back in 2000. Well, she showed these alternates for the first time. But, following the meeting, I was asked not to share what they were. Nothing would be gained by telling you now so I’ll just give you a hint.

One alternate to the Northside route was shown. It was, for the most part, a variation of the published route. On the Southside a couple of variations on the published route were shown in addition to a few completely different choices. The original 2000 routes as well as these alternates will be shown during a series of public meetings to be held next month:

Northside

Tuesday, June 13, 2006
5:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club
2901 N. Grand
St. Louis, MO 63101
Presentations at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Downtown

Wednesday, June 14, 2006
3:30 p.m. -6:00 p.m.
Downtown St. Louis Partnership
906 Olive Street
St. Louis, MO 63101
Presentations at 4:00 p.m. and 5:15 p.m.

Southside

Thursday, June 15, 2006
5:00 p.m. -7:30 p.m.
Monsanto Center
Missouri Botanical Garden
4500 Shaw Blvd. (at Vandeventer)
St. Louis, MO 63110
Presentations at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

If we look at our current MetroLink system, as well as the soon to open Cross County extension, we can see that it has only a few at-grade street crossings. The new line, in fact, goes to great lengths to avoid any intersections. So it is no wonder East-West Gateway is taking a safe approach to suggesting the new proposed routes run in-street. That is, they are suggesting “reserved” lanes rather than mixed traffic. Physically this would look like a median down the middle of the street with poles for the overhead wires.

The implications are that crossing the street by foot, bike or car would only be possible at major intersections. The pros, they argue, is as a regional system the travel times are simply too high in a “mixed-traffic” system. At issue is how new systems are funded, they must show the new line will provide a time savings for commuters. So, the modern streetcar system I’ve advocated here before can provide excellent localized service but cannot compete with car travel from the suburbs. So, all we need to do is get Congress to change how they fund new transit systems…

– Steve

Commenter Defends Washington Ave Streetscape Design

One of the beautiful things about the internet is all the information that can be found, including old posts on this site. Today someone found a post I did over a year ago regarding the Washington Avenue streetscape between Tucker (12th) and 9th Street. My post was relatively short and focused mostly on the poor choice of bike racks. But here is what “Daisy” had to say:

I would like to remind a few particular people of what Washington Street used to look like. I have been working in and around the area for about the past 15 years now. I remember how the building rubble was all over the sidewalks and the sidewalks were uneven and broken. Mostly vacant buildings. No such thing as a bench to sit on, much less a place to lock your bike. You were constantly besieged by vagrants plying for money.

Okay, I’m in full agreement so far. Buildings were vacant, sidewalks were uneven and no benches or bike racks were in sight. For the record, we still have beggars seeking money.

She continues:

Broken glass that littered the road and the side walk made it mostly perilous to travel by any wheeled vehicle. Trees? Not a chance. Flower pots, no way. Trash cans? are you kidding me? The sidewalk and road were filled with litter. The stoplights were falling down. Whine if it makes you feel better, but hopefully people that are planning on visiting this area aren’t as disturbed by your opinions as they would have been had Washington Street been left the way it was.

The “it is better than it was” defense for bad planning always cracks me up. Of course it is better than it was, I should hope so after spending millions of tax dollars to improve the area! Do we, as citizens, not have the right to question the logic behind how our money is spent?

But, it gets worse:

BTW – did it ever occur to you that they used a bike rack that is versitile enough to be used by all the locks available. I personally know that the designers for this project worked diligently from all angles, for a very long time, verified all products with the available subsurfaces that they had to work with, and checked out the best solutions with what was available. A huge number of people were involved in these decisions, not just one designer.

So the defense of these inappropriate bike racks is that many people, not just one, make the wrong decision? And, for the record, a number of bike racks can be used with various locks. The simple inverted-U racks further west in the garish section of Washington Ave do the job better than any other rack design. Not only can you use multiple lock design but you can easily lock both wheels to the rack, if desired, and know the bike is supported in two places so it won’t fall over.

And “Daisy” concludes with the obligatory name calling:

Are you even aware of the vaults and tunnels below the surface of the road that they were dealing with? I guess being a couch designer is always the best way to point out someone elses faults, as long as you get them straight. Hey, maybe its another couch designer like you that continues to rip out the plantings and tear up the trees… Some people are just never happy.

Well, yes, I am aware of the vaults & tunnels downtown. I also know that most do not extend out to the curb line because if they did the trees would not have been able to be planted along the street. Tree roots, in my experience, consume more subsoil than bolts for a bike rack.

I love the “couch designer” comment. Great defense. The many designers made poor choices and when critiqued on functionality one attempts to belittle the reviewer. Sorry, but if you cannot handle constructive criticism then you should not be in the design business. I speak from experience since I also do double duty as a designer in addition to being a REALTOR®. The facts remain unchanged from a year ago: the relationship between the benches, bike racks and tress is horribly close. The bike racks require placing the bikes perpendicular to the curb and make access difficult. A simple inverted-U rack, like those used just down the street, would have been easier to use, less costly and would have had similar installation requirements. Product selection and placement was off in these blocks and no amount of name calling is going to change that.

This brings us to the issue of the planters. Uh, no, I not the kind to rip out plantings. But the logic behind the planters is a bit silly. Street trees should have been sufficient greenery for these blocks but someone thought they should have more so lots of money was spent on planters and and an irrigation system. I agree that if you are going to have planters you need to have irrigation but in the long run these will simply not be maintained by the city. The money spent on the planters and irrigation should have been spent on buying larger street trees.

And we have the “some people are just never happy” ending which is presumably an attempt reduce further public discourse of design matters. I guess if I were part of the design team responsible I’d not want anyone with a critical eye commenting either.

– Steve

Ride With Traffic & Other Bike Safety Tips

May is bike month with the 15th-19th designated as Bike Week (next week) and finally on Friday May 19th the official Bike to Work Day. Of course, biking in other months can be just as fun.

Since the weather has gotten nicer I’ve been seeing considerably more cyclists out on the roads. Unfortunately, I’ve also been seeing an increase in dangerous cycling habits:

Riding Against Traffic:

This is one of the best ways to get injured or killed. A bicycle is a vehicle and as such is supposed to be ridden with traffic as you would any other vehicle. Some fear not seeing traffic from behind yet the bulk of accidents happen at intersections where a wrong-way cyclist is simply not expected. Please ride with traffic.

Wrong Position on the Road:

Lane position is one of the most important aspects of bike safety. Riding too far to the right and you risk getting into the curb gutter, a drain grate or hitting an opening car door. Many new cyclists make the mistake of riding too far to the right. Narrow traffic lanes, not wide enough for a car and a cyclist, should not be shared. In cases where a really narrow lane exists a cyclist should “take the lane” by riding in the center. This sends a strong message to drivers to pass in a different lane. Wider lanes can be safely shared.

Wrong Position at Intersections:

Novice cyclists make a very common mistake of positioning themselves at the extreme right of an intersection, often placing their right foot on the curb at a red light (I just saw someone do this the other day at Chippewa & Grand). This can be very dangerous as it places the cyclist to the right of cars turning right. This is not a big deal if you as the cyclist are also turning right but if you are going straight ahead your position on the road needs to reflect this intention. If you intend to go straight ahead be in the lane that goes straight ahead — not the right turn lane.

Not Wearing A Helmet:

All it takes is one blow to the head to cause serious injury or death. It just isn’t worth it. And compared to the motorcycle helmet I wear when riding my scooter the bicycle helmet is nothing.

Wearing a Helmet Improperly:

If we can see your forehead the helmet is not properly positioned. Sometimes it is a matter of adjusting the helmet and in other cases you may need a different size. I see many adults wearing helmets tilted way back. Click Here to see examples of right and wrong fits — they are children but the rules are the same.

A few links of interest:

Urban Biker’s Tips & Tricks – excerpts from the book of the same name. An excellent resource.

St. Louis Regional Bike Federation – great local organization.

League of American Bicyclists – national organization, trains League Certified Instructors (LCI’s) like myself.

Missouri Bike Federation – excellent advocacy group for the entire state.

Cycling is a great means of transportation provided you follow some basic rules of the road.

– Steve

Old North House Tour & Bike Ride on May 13th

This coming Saturday, May 13, 2006, will be a busy one in Old North St. Louis.

Join us for the Old North St. Louis 2006 House and Community Tour. On May 13, ten of these homes, community gardens, and the old Municipal Bath House #6 will be open to the public from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Named one of the city’s “Best Places to Live” in the “up-and-coming” category by St. Louis Magazine and a “new Mecca for home renovators” by the Post-Dispatch, Old North St. Louis is a warm, diverse community full of neighborhood gardens, beautiful, historic buildings, and new, historically sensitive homes.
More Info

But why not get in a bike ride of the area before the house tour? Conveniently enough, such a ride is planned from 9:00 a.m to 11:00 a.m.

The St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation in conjunction with the Old North St. Louis House Tour is sponsoring an Old North Bicycle Tour. Ride leisurely as your tour guide leads you through largely forgotten and hidden architectural gems in Old North St. Louis. Nearly all of these beautiful homes, churches, schools and businesses were built in the 1800s in architectural styles not seen anywhere else in St. Louis. We will include brief stops at some of the more historically worthy buildings, providing the rider with a bit of history and appreciation of the area’s character. Tour participants should meet at the old Laclede Power Building parking lot at the Riverfront Trail’s south end at the corners of Lenor K. Sullivan and Biddle streets (map). A nominal fee for non- Bike Fed members will apply. Flyer

Having lived in Old North for a few years in the early 90s, and a frequent visitor since then, I can tell you this area has long been overlooked. But, that is quickly changing as people realize how close you can live to downtown and still have a yard. Remaining homes are getting rehabbed, new homes are being built and plans are underway to improve the commercial district near the famous Crown Candy Kitchen. The warehouse district along Broadway between Old North & the Mississippi is also receiving renewed attention.

Get to Old North on Saturday and witness the transformation that is taking place.

– Steve

Why Not Bury Part of Highway 40?

Bringing in guys from Boston’s Big Dig might have been a mistake as myself and others are thinking how can we bury part of our highway. I’m going to be brief:

The suburban areas were largely built after the highway so in those cases neighborhoods were not severed like older areas of the city.

We have an opportunity to reconnect older neighborhoods that were cut off from each other when the highway was constructed.

The highway currently is recessed below grade between Taylor & Boyle and will be after reconstruction.

Forest Park Southeast is about to lose nearby park space to BJC.

The solution is to bury/create a lid over I-64/Hwy 40 for the short distance between Taylor and Boyle. The resulting land on top of the highway should be new park space to offset the 12 acres that BJC is taking from Forest Park. Playground equipment, tennis courts and racquetball courts displaced from the small piece of Forest Park should get rebuilt here, at BJC’s expense. Regardless of the highway situation, BJC should not be allowed to remove the existing facilities until the replacement facilities are constructed and operational.

MoDot has a detailed drawing of their proposed reconstruction here. Looks like they are planning additional ramps at Tower Grove.

Sure it will cost more but I think the city deserves to get more than just a faster exit out of the city. Give us back our city in the process!

– Steve