MayorSlay.com's list of Economic Recovery Transportation projects within the City submitted to East-West Gateway by the City, city agencies, and other groups:
Interesting. Of course I'm particular happy with the Manchester streetscape and Euclid as well, though I wonder what will happen to the funds that were already allocated to these projects.
Missouri stands to get a decent amount of funding from the stimulus for transportation projects. It won't cover all the projects that are on some lists floating around. I bet less than half those will get built.
I have to go do some digging. I believe I read this morning that East West Gateway Council will distribute $60 million in stimulus funds after it sifts through the $1.2 billion in requests. In other words, we can cove 5% of the desired projects. Hopefully I'm mistaken.
In other words, we can cove 5% of the desired projects
Not necessarily. Cross out the biggest ticket items and complete many more projects. Use the money to leverage more. Scale back the scope of the projects you choose.
According to this article, we stand a chance of getting money for high speed rail connecting us with Chicago and KC. Considering Obama is from Chicago, hopefully that will push us over the edge and help us get some cash.
^ It would be big if we could also connect to Texas, but now I'm REALLY dreaming. And if there's ever to be a line west it would make sense to follow STL/KC/Denver/Vegas/LA.
Grover wrote:^ It would be big if we could also connect to Texas, but now I'm REALLY dreaming. And if there's ever to be a line west it would make sense to follow STL/KC/Denver/Vegas/LA.
We are the Gateway to the West. Maybe a highly traveled high speed rail line could give that title a renewed meaning for the 21st century.
Dredger wrote:I have to go do some digging. I believe I read this morning that East West Gateway Council will distribute $60 million in stimulus funds after it sifts through the $1.2 billion in requests. In other words, we can cove 5% of the desired projects. Hopefully I'm mistaken.
I read that too, but if this is what the metropolitan area will receive from the stimulus. What will happen to the other $700 million in funding for infrastructure/transportation/highway funds the state will receive? Can you say "bridges to nowhere"! I also find it funny that the out state legislators were among the most violent opponents of stimulus, yet rural counties in Missourah are among the first with their hands out and shovels ready. I have a feeling this is going to suck for St. Louis, especially if we leave it up to the MDOH&S (Missouri Dept. Of Highways and Sprawl). I did hear that the $100 million highway 141 could expect funding .
If the bulk of infrastructure money goes to Missour-ah, filled with politicians who opposed infrastructure improvements I will scream!
I've heard that some Republican governors who are opposed to the stimulus package are thinking about refusing the money.
While I disagree with their opposition to the stimulus, I applaud them for putting their money where their mouth is.
Of course I don't expect someone like Roy Blunt will do that. He'll probably even take credit for any infrastructure improvements that happen in his Congressional District when he runs for Senate next year, hoping that your average voter won't remember how vociferously he opposed the funding that made it possible.
If he tries that though, I'll remember. And thanks to You Tube, so will lots of voters
goat314 wrote:This has to be a joke 50 million! Where is the rest of the money going? I knew Missourah was going to stick it to St. Louis!
Missouri isn't going to get as much as they thought either. The law requires that 30% of the state allocation goes to the 3 MPOs with a population of 200,000 or more. That's St. Louis, Springfield, and Kansas City. How the state decides how much each MPO gets is up to them, but usually it's somewhere around the population. The last I heard was around $58 million for the St. Louis region.
MoDOT is screwing the City by not funding any City needs (22nd street/40 interchange) with their allocation. The one project they had(Memorial Dr) was already in the State Transporation Improvement Program, they just added another million. They blame I-64, but that'll be done at the end of the year if not sooner. Of course, the astute people on urbanstl know MoDOT's priorities lie elsewhere.
I can't blame MoDOT on this one. MoDOT is a state organization established to benefit the state (pop. 5 million) as whole rather then the city (pop of 350k). They are doing some major Interstate repavements if I read their list correctly. Interstates support the movement of goods between cities/urban area and thus provide some benefits. Proctor & Gamble factory in North St. Louis relies on the highway network just as much as a farmer.
I see $30 million in DOT funds going to improve the KC and STL intercity rail service. This is a step in the right direction. A big question is how much of the $8 Billion setaside for high speed rail will go to the Chicago to St. Louis Corridor. Finally, I give the local leaders blame for not putting transit on firm financial ground. Thus, you will see Federal Transit stimulus funds going other Metro areas.
Dredger wrote:I can't blame MoDOT on this one. MoDOT is a state organization established to benefit the state (pop. 5 million) as whole rather then the city (pop of 350k). They are doing some major Interstate repavements if I read their list correctly. Interstates support the movement of goods between cities/urban area and thus provide some benefits. Proctor & Gamble factory in North St. Louis relies on the highway network just as much as a farmer.
^true, but really nobody inside of I-270 is getting anything from MoDOT save a few sidewalks in North County. I bet the population is close to 1 million. Now you're talking a fifth of your constituents.
^ This 2003 study from IDOT is the one and only official document on STL-CHI high speed rail that I could find. Depressing that so little has been accomplished.
I posted their five year plan to upgrade service in Illinois including The Lincoln Corridor - Chicago to STL. It gives a ballpark estimate on costs to bring service up to 110 mph, less then 5 hour service. I'm hopeful that you will at least see 110 mph service between Chicago - St. Louis.
I heard rumors that they might tie this into Chicago hosting the Olympics somehow. how about they make it 200 + miles an hour. why do we have to have these busted joke "speed" trains in the US? Japan and France do it, I think we can pull it off too.
Further proof of how big of a joke MoDot and the state of Missouri is. Out of the over $150 million in transportation projects for the region. MoDot only gives the city $5 million for repaving wash ave and eads bridge. They are also totally ignoring the distressed area clause in the bill that gives the most distressed areas priority funding. What a bunch of a**holes.
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