It stinks that this project will take 7-10 years to complete, but it should really tie the central corridor together in a way that encourages dense development.
Can't wait to see what the segment around the Foundry and Armory will look like when finished.
Because GRG is legally required to build greenways across 3 counties.
They can’t just take their primary funding sources and pour them into one project in one jurisdiction, that would be illegal. There is no dedicated funding source for Brickline like the Prop P tax increase that helped fund the expensive Arch Grounds rebuild. That means GRG is going to have to raise a huge amount of private funds to compete this. Seems pretty straight forward to me.
Still, we’ll see significant pieces of this completed or under construction well before 7-10 years. Patience is a virtue, folks.
Because GRG is legally required to build greenways across 3 counties.
They can’t just take their primary funding sources and pour them into one project in one jurisdiction, that would be illegal. There is no dedicated funding source for Brickline like the Prop P tax increase that helped fund the expensive Arch Grounds rebuild. That means GRG is going to have to raise a huge amount of private funds to compete this. Seems pretty straight forward to me.
Still, we’ll see significant pieces of this completed or under construction well before 7-10 years. Patience is a virtue, folks.
Personally I’ve always thought of this project as GRG making up for over focusing on the burbs in the past. Just look at their map of current Greenways…not much of a City presence. Extremely suburban to date.
It's hard to be patient when we just fall farther and farther behind while each of us loses years of our lives that we're young and healthy enough to bike.
This global bike infrastructure boom of the last 10-15 years has barely touched St. Louis even though we have great potential (wide streets with few cars).
Other cities seem to be nimbly adapting while we're taking 10 times as long to do 1/10th as much.
Because GRG is legally required to build greenways across 3 counties.
They can’t just take their primary funding sources and pour them into one project in one jurisdiction, that would be illegal. There is no dedicated funding source for Brickline like the Prop P tax increase that helped fund the expensive Arch Grounds rebuild. That means GRG is going to have to raise a huge amount of private funds to compete this. Seems pretty straight forward to me.
Still, we’ll see significant pieces of this completed or under construction well before 7-10 years. Patience is a virtue, folks.
Personally I’ve always thought of this project as GRG making up for over focusing on the burbs in the past. Just look at their map of current Greenways…not much of a City presence. Extremely suburban to date.
They have a unwritten policy (like MoDOT) to spend money not on need but based on where revenue/population is at
Because GRG is legally required to build greenways across 3 counties.
They can’t just take their primary funding sources and pour them into one project in one jurisdiction, that would be illegal. There is no dedicated funding source for Brickline like the Prop P tax increase that helped fund the expensive Arch Grounds rebuild. That means GRG is going to have to raise a huge amount of private funds to compete this. Seems pretty straight forward to me.
Still, we’ll see significant pieces of this completed or under construction well before 7-10 years. Patience is a virtue, folks.
Personally I’ve always thought of this project as GRG making up for over focusing on the burbs in the past. Just look at their map of current Greenways…not much of a City presence. Extremely suburban to date.
Well the city is only 10% of the Metro area and the vast majority of GRG’s public funding comes from outside of it.
For those that are anxious, cut a check. That’s not meant to be snide but GRG has been upfront from the beginning that a full buildout can’t happen without private money, which they’re attempting to raise as we speak. So help ‘em out, maybe we could start a GoFundMe for those that want to contribute but don’t have the funds to cut a Taylor sized check.
It's hard to be patient when we just fall farther and farther behind while each of us loses years of our lives that we're young and healthy enough to bike.
This global bike infrastructure boom of the last 10-15 years has barely touched St. Louis even though we have great potential (wide streets with few cars).
Other cities seem to be nimbly adapting while we're taking 10 times as long to do 1/10th as much.
Can't say I agree with this. St. Louis actually has very good greenway system for a metro it's size, hell even some bigger metros. I live in Tampa Bay and they have nothing remotely resembling a regional bike network, much less a light rail system. For a slow growth, fragmented, medium sized metro. I think St. Louis is actually doing very well in a lot of areas that it doesn't get credit for.
Because GRG is legally required to build greenways across 3 counties.
They can’t just take their primary funding sources and pour them into one project in one jurisdiction, that would be illegal. There is no dedicated funding source for Brickline like the Prop P tax increase that helped fund the expensive Arch Grounds rebuild. That means GRG is going to have to raise a huge amount of private funds to compete this. Seems pretty straight forward to me.
Still, we’ll see significant pieces of this completed or under construction well before 7-10 years. Patience is a virtue, folks.
Personally I’ve always thought of this project as GRG making up for over focusing on the burbs in the past. Just look at their map of current Greenways…not much of a City presence. Extremely suburban to date.
Well the city is only 10% of the Metro area and the vast majority of GRG’s public funding comes from outside of it.
For those that are anxious, cut a check. That’s not meant to be snide but GRG has been upfront from the beginning that a full buildout can’t happen without private money, which they’re attempting to raise as we speak. So help ‘em out, maybe we could start a GoFundMe for those that want to contribute but don’t have the funds to cut a Taylor sized check.
Or someone that has some great writing skills get together with others thats have ideas and sent proposals to national companies. Idk like Coca-Cola, or Walmart, Nike who knows. But something in that ballpark. I’m the worst writer ever but I can bring ideas and help helping who ever is writing all this stuff. I just want to make it happen!
Unless there are a few million/billionaires in this forum, don’t waste your time or money trying to move the Brickline forward.
That reads very cynical, but it’s just a reminder that they have architects, landscape architects, multiple planning/engineering firms, communication teams, Greater STL Inc, access to federal grants, and audience to the wealthiest developers and business leaders in the region. They don’t need anything but vocal support and sales tax revenue from the average taxpayer.
If upset with the current status of bike infrastructure you’re better off finding a planner with free time (and some design experience) and canvassing your neighborhood and aldermen.
It's hard to be patient when we just fall farther and farther behind while each of us loses years of our lives that we're young and healthy enough to bike.
This global bike infrastructure boom of the last 10-15 years has barely touched St. Louis even though we have great potential (wide streets with few cars).
Other cities seem to be nimbly adapting while we're taking 10 times as long to do 1/10th as much.
Can't say I agree with this. St. Louis actually has very good greenway system for a metro it's size, hell even some bigger metros. I live in Tampa Bay and they have nothing remotely resembling a regional bike network, much less a light rail system. For a slow growth, fragmented, medium sized metro. I think St. Louis is actually doing very well in a lot of areas that it doesn't get credit for.
Half of my complaint was on-street infrastructure, which is semi-off-topic here. Every other city is building bike lanes that you'd feel safe to use with a kid or non-cyclist adult. We have very, very few of those.
But even if you limit it to greenways, we may have a decent amount in total, but they're all spread out all over the place. I generally go for a quick 20-30 mile ride from downtown. I don't believe in driving to bike on a regular basis for various reasons.
On trails, I have basically one option, the Riverfront Trail. Crossing the McKinley, through neighborhoods over to the Schoolhouse Trail is another semi-OK option that doesn't require all that much on-street riding. Every other trail is miles away. The city even refuses to make the underused Eads a decent bike option to cross the river.
Why doesn't GRG have a more organized, public saturation campaign similar to Forest Park Forever, soliciting sponsorships and corporate naming rights/signage for high-profile features and infrastructure projects (the I-64 bridge for example) perhaps even certain stretches of greenway, and smaller private donations for a maintenance fund? They could sell plaques or bricks placed along the trail, etc., etc.
I remember when the Forest Park Forever campaign kicked off. I would get mail solicitations or see some ad or another at least once a week...and by all accounts that campaign was extremely successful.
urbanitas wrote:Why doesn't GRG have a more organized, public saturation campaign similar to Forest Park Forever, soliciting sponsorships and corporate naming rights/signage for high-profile features and infrastructure projects (the I-64 bridge for example) perhaps even certain stretches of greenway, and smaller private donations for a maintenance fund? They could sell plaques or bricks placed along the trail, etc., etc.
I remember when the Forest Park Forever campaign kicked off. I would get mail solicitations or see some ad or another at least once a week...and by all accounts that campaign was extremely successful.
Because unlike Forest Park Forever it has a dedicated funding source via sales tax and I doubt it can spend that money to fundraiser from private sources
Isn’t that the purpose of the Great Rivers Greenway Foundation? It’s own 501c3 capable of “seeking and accepting alternative funding for projects through donations, grants and events “
I expect crowdsourcing or community “buy in” is a part of the overall vision but it’s all about when and how. For example: Would it be more impactful in completing a small segment vs. large map? What about using it for operations/maintenance? How much more would you raise if you waited until at least part of it is built?
Why are some here assuming that GRG doesn't reach out to potential donors and corporations for funding? Just because there isn't a huge, public campaign doesn't mean that they're not actively trying or engaged. I guarantee that just like any major non-profit, they have staff, board members and probably a fundraising consultant or two all actively engaged with different discussions on potential future funding.
I don't believe in driving to bike on a regular basis for various reasons.
100% with you on that... Additionally, it's pretty awesome how much I've reduced my driving by biking to work most days.
eee123 wrote:On trails, I have basically one option, the Riverfront Trail. Crossing the McKinley, through neighborhoods over to the Schoolhouse Trail is another semi-OK option that doesn't require all that much on-street riding. Every other trail is miles away. The city even refuses to make the underused Eads a decent bike option to cross the river.
Same with me when I lived downtown. I used to ride the Riverfront Trail a lot, but would also ride out Olive to midtown and CWE to get to the park and do a few laps. Olive is big enough with bike lanes to be not so bad, but the stretch of Lindell from Grand to the park sucked. I'd cut over to Pine after Vandeventer but still even that small stretch of Olive/Lindell sucked. Anyone who isn't comfortable riding a bike close to cars, forget it.
This would be a great place to funnel operation fees from scooter companies. This place will become a scooter highway assuming they are still around in 5-10 years.
Perhaps we could even get some VC $$$ with dedicated scooter charging stations along the route. I'm surprised these companies don't have some kind of charging station system. It wouldn't take up more space than your average bike share station and would save these companies SO MUCH MONEY that they are currently paying people to drive around, pick up dead scooters, charge them at home, then drop them off the next morning. Just discount the ride for people who drop the scooter off at a station and properly hook it up to a charger (or just have a charging plate that charges everything above it like in phones and electric busses)
I'm at the thought that it would be better to have the Brickline completed after a way can found to get the FPP & Grand Ave at grade intersection completed as well as a rebuild/remove the current FPP & Market street first and foremost. Then the 7-10 year wait would be worth it. Otherwise in my mind the Brickline really won't tie West Downtown & Midtown/CORTEX/CWE all that well.