Vote Daily For A St. Louis Bike Station

The monthly “Pepsi Refresh Project” is a tough competition.  Projects across the country compete for up to 32 grants.

What are the Pepsi Refresh Grant Levels?
Each month, up to $1.3 million will be awarded as follows: 2 Grants at the $250,000 level; 10 Grants at the $50,000 level; 10 Grants at the $25,000 level; and 10 Grants at the $5,000 level.

So what am I asking you to vote for?  The press release, in full, explains:

On December 1, the Downtown St. Louis Community Improvement District (CID) entered the Pepsi Refresh Challenge to win $50,000 to help launch and market our new Downtown Bicycle Station. The only way to win this fierce competition is to turn out the most votes. So, for every day of December, we ask that you encourage your followers to vote for our Downtown Bicycle Station!

Here’s how: Vote online at the Pepsi Refresh project site (http://www.refresheverything.com/biketotownstl); vote by texting 104458 to Pepsi (73774); sign up for daily reminders (vote@downtownstl.org); retweet to your Twitter followers (www.twitter.com/downtownstlouis), and share the project by posting it to your Facebook wall (www.facebook.com/downtownstl)

What Are the Benefits?
By creating a safe, clean and welcoming hub for bike commuters, the Downtown CID will inspire a healthier, simpler lifestyle. This means fewer cars looking for parking and more people enjoying Downtown on two-wheels and two feet.

What does the $50,000 Grant pay for?
With our grant, we will spread the word about the region’s first Bicycle Station:

• Advance an aggressive marketing and awareness campaign about the benefits of bicycling to work.
• Promote the Downtown Bicycle Station with 25 bicycle giveaway packages and 50 free 1-year Bicycle Station memberships.
• Develop collateral to market the new Downtown Bicycle Station.
• Install an informational kiosk for prospective members.
• Make the Downtown Bicycle Station welcome with a bright, hip mural on the exterior alley wall of the facility, and post signs to introduce the Downtown Bicycle Station to St. Louis and the world!

The Partnership for Downtown St. Louis serves as the catalyst for investment, creating a regionally celebrated asset and nationally recognized downtown. The Partnership also manages the Downtown St. Louis Community Improvement District (The CID) that provides enhanced services to make Downtown St. Louis a cleaner, safer, more vibrant place.

Your vote is needed — not just once but each day through the end of the month.

Vote Here

– Steve Patterson

South County Connector Revisited, Open House 3pm-7pm Today 12/9/2010

A “Public Open House” will be held today, December 9, 2010, from  3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. to get feedback on the latest proposal for a South County Connector:

“St. Louis County has interviewed several consultant teams for conducting the Location Study and Environmental Document for the South County Connector. Negotiations will begin shortly with the selected team, and the study will begin in early 2010.

The South County Connector facilitates access between the central core of St. Louis County and South County and South City. The multi-modal aspect of the South County Connector corridor promotes the joint Livable Communities initiative of the U.S. DOT, HUD, U.S. EPA and other Federal agencies. It will help citizens gain better access to affordable housing, more transportation options and healthier communities and will promote sustainable development and economic growth.”

The open house will be held at the  Affton White-Rodgers Community Center located at 9801 Mackenzie Road St. Louis, Mo. 63123.

– Steve Patterson

Sidewalk In Front Of Convention Center Now Just For Pedestrians

Nearly four years ago, January 12,2007, I first blogged about the situation with cabs at our convention center: Taxi Cabs Block Sidewalk at Convention Center, Exit Via Crosswalk.  More than a year prior to the stroke that disabled me, I was fighting for space for all pedestrians.

The headline, first picture (above) and post wording all communicated the issue was the placement on the stand within the sidewalk space. However, I included a video of a cab exiting via the pedestrian crosswalk.

So rather than relocate the stand so it wasn’t on the sidewalk, the convention center added bollards to prevent the cabs from using the crosswalks when exiting.

The main issue — the blocked sidewalk remained a problem. That is, until last month.  First, the back story.

Kitty Ratchliffe came to St. Louis from New Orleans to serve as the President of the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission.

“The St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission (CVC) is the sales and marketing organization responsible for selling St. Louis City and St. Louis County as a convention and meeting site and as a leisure travel destination. In addition, the CVC manages and operates the America’s Center® convention complex which includes 502,000 square feet of prime exhibit space, 80 meeting rooms, the Edward Jones Dome at America’s Center, the 1,411-seat Ferrara Theatre, a 28,000 square-foot ballroom and the St. Louis Executive Conference Center.”

Ratcliffe had worked at the CVC in the 80s but when I brought up this taxi stand issue she was only months back into St. Louis, and their offices were blocks away in the Metropolitan Square building.  A staff person told her about the issue and and that he had a solution — the bollards.

Finally this summer I stopped by the CVC offices, now on the 3rd floor of the convention center, and left my card for Ratcliffe and got the email address for her assistant.  That prompted some emails and phone conversations.  I was finally able to communicate the main issue was walking along the sidewalk (east-west) not crossing Washington Ave.

I know in the big picture this is a minor issue but it will make a difference for the quality of life of residents and visitors. Persistence pays!

– Steve Patterson

Readers Like St. Louis’ Gateway Transportation Center

In the poll last week readers liked our combined Amtrak & Greyhound station but were not impressed with the surroundings.

Q: St. Louis’ combined Amtrak & Greyhound station opened on 11/21/2008. Your thoughts on the station?

1. Can’t compete with the heyday of Union Station but it is a vast improvement over facilities for the decades prior. 84 [58.74%]
2. The station is OK but the immediate area needs attention. 33 [23.08%]
3. Other answer… 11 [7.69%]
4. James Howard Kunstler was right, it is an embarrassing eyesore. 8 [5.59%]
5. Unsure/no opinion 5 [3.5%]
6. I didn’t like it at first but I’ve warmed to it. 1 [0.7%]
7. I liked it at first but I’m less and less impressed as times goes on. 1 [0.7%]

The following are the “other” answers:

1. I LOVE IT !
2. Needs to be near the Metro, needs multilevel parking garage.
3. nice. but money should be invested in union station
4. Should of used Union Station
5. Why not re-use Union Station? It works, and would make it seem less empty
6. Where is the option for like?
7. It is an eyesore, and embarrassing that the original is so under-utilized.
8. functional, but architecturally weak
9. I like it, plain and simple
10. It’s not terrible, but an under utilized Union Station is criminal!
11. I have liked it all along.

Amtrak pulled out of Union Station in the early 70s, switching to a shack under the large train shed and finally to a “temporary” along the rail lines.  Union Station, a massive structure, was sold to private developers.  Additional structures have been constructed between the former station and the rail lines.  Amtrak doesn’t like to back into stations.  Need more reasons why not Union Station?

I don’t get the comment above, “Needs to be near the Metro.”  They could not be any closer together!

ABOVE: View of Civic Center MetroLink & bus transfer center as seen from the east entrance