urbanSTL

Not knowing the grant restrictions, I imagine STL could make a better case for Forest Park Parkway and Market. The same principals and motivations that gave us I-70 inspired the midtown Compton knot, Grand & Forest Park, and other troubling interstate-like investments.

I say “better” because it is a single stakeholder (The City) vs. any interstate change that would require agreements between city, county, MODOT, and IDOT.

Similarly, I wonder if there is an opportunity to rebuild the 44 & 55 interchange to be much more minimal. City could reclaim a few acres with a minimized interchange.

Lastly, although I’m typically against interstate ROW Light rail, the I-70 express lanes peaked in utilization long ago. Assuming this unknown grant is open to creative reuse, we could have 6-7 miles of interstate ROW converted to MetroLink on I-70.


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Will see what the final rules are but from this I only stretch that could qualify is i-70 north of Stan span and of course nobody is getting rid of the highway that connects downtown to the airport

“....with the needs of underserved communities in mind. The Restoring Neighborhoods and Strengthening Communities Program — known among advocates as the “Highways to Boulevards” initiative — would only be available for projects located in regions with a high concentration of low income residents or residents of color.“

This looping off ramp is some of the lowest hanging fruit IMO. Completely unnecessary and I say that as somebody who uses it constantly because I live nearby. Imagine what can be put here on an extended Emmet and 13th St. I can't imagine it would be hard to get someone to put a large apartment building or two there eventually.

East St. Louis and that spaghetti junction could really use some of these funds.  The entire 13th Street / Tudor Ave ramp system should disappear.

^ THIS!

That knot of highways in East St. Louis is obnoxious and destructive. 

I would love to see it removed. I honestly have a hard time fathoming how there is absolutely no market for apartments or restaurants across the river from the downtown St. Louis skyline. Perhaps removing that knot would inspire somebody to do something - anything at all - with the East St. Louis riverfront area. 

The entire knot can't disappear, and there's only so much realignment that could happen based upon the required bridge connections, but at some point maintenance of the unnecessary ramps and flyovers has to outweigh the cost of demo. 

As for apartments / restaurants with downtown views - I hear ya.  But a lot of the land closest to the riverfront is industrial and East St. Louis doesn't have resources to maintain their current built environment, let alone supporting tax incentives for anything new.

People in St. Louis act like it is a given that East St. Louis will continue to rot. 

My guess is that St. Louis City and County will really need to start growing before East St. Louis gets any attention whatsoever. 

But I still think it would be fantastic if some of these funds could go across the river to East St. Louis. 

^search for and read through some of the ESTL threads on this site. Not saying that it can't see some revival, but leadership over there appears to be more interested in demoing the city than they are building new.

I think that's pretty clear just from driving around there. 

East St. Louis is not scary or frightening in any way to me. It's just deserted and empty. 

Laife Fulk wrote: ↑

Jan 12, 2021

^search for and read through some of the ESTL threads on this site. Not saying that it can't see some revival, but leadership over there appears to be more interested in demoing the city than they are building new.

Not a whole lot left to demo at this point. 

I don't understand. South of the park is developed.

Yes it is Forest Park. The highway makes it so pleasant.
There are many infrastructure items I'd put ahead of a tunnel for I-64 through the park. It was rebuilt a little over 10 years ago. The oldest highway bits should be looked at for modification. That's the elevated I-44 lanes downtown, I believe.

GoHarvOrGoHome wrote: ↑

Jan 12, 2021

Here is another couple ramps we don't need at all. The Cherokee on-ramp feels super dangerous anyways. Both resulting lots would have great mixed use potential, especially if the Lemp complex is ever realized.

Thank god I'm not the only one who realized how ridiculous this ramp is! Even if it is just a bit of space it frees up, the environment would look and work so much better for it

^ Nah, I need a highway on/off every 4 blocks.  It's the same with 40.  Why bother with the Ewing ramp when they could have easily devised a proper interchange at Jefferson?

Idk if the current Mayor will be interested, I’ve mentioned to her CoS but MoDOT is interested in looking at 64 from Kingshighway to Jefferson about cleaning up some of these interchanges and freeing up space. Ideally the City would join in the application for RAISE monies (formally BUILD and TIGER) so that city connections/bike ped can be studied too.

The reconfiguration of the FPP/Grand/Market/40 area could have more development impact than any major infrastructure project undertaken over the last 20 years.  Hopefully the crosstown interchange conversion to MLS stadium will move the needle as well.  Both areas are/were huge scars preventing connectivity in the Central Corridor.  Seems to me other big $$$ infrastructure spends such as the 40/64 rebuild, MRB and Arch lid/Riverfront re-jigger have spurred very little added development.