urbanSTL

One of the few nice things about a good redevelopment organization like Grand Center is that they can clear the sidewalks in a whole area. Not sure how they did this snowstorm, but I have chilly memories of breaking ice and clearing sidewalks and corner cuts during a nasty winter storm quite similar to this one in some ways back in . . . 1997? Or 98 maybe. (Can't quite recall.) On the other hand, the Fox and SLSO care quite a lot more about their sidewalks since people need to walk to the front door, even if they drive to a parking lot nearby. Is that Lindell Schnucks in a special taxing district? It's just old enough I suppose it might not be, but if it is maybe the district could be fined for failing to clear sidewalks. Put all such districts on notice that they need to take care of all their infrastructure and not just the asphalt seas. 

I attempted to shovel in front of the business I am a partner (in the Grove).  We were closed for 2 days due to the ice and snow, when I got there, the city had pushed wet snow to the parking lanes, and it was frozen solid.  Trying to deal with ice several inches deep is no joke.  My metal shovel would not penetrate it.  I called the landlord, who said they can do nothing.  The can use equipment to move the snow from the parking lanes to the street or to the sidewalk.

The landlord does salt the walkways.  And we did some shoveling there.  However, the treacherous, thick ice in the parking lane is very much a pain.

The horrible sidewalk clearance of both commercial and residential property is another issue heading sideways due to the City's lack of enforcement.  Having spent 19 years in Chicago I can attest that enforcement keeps the populace focused on doing the right things.  Doesn't matter if it's snow clearance, snow route parking, street cleaning, metered parking, dangerous driving or overgrown yards.  Enforcement is key.  On Chicago's street cleaning days, an enforcement officer literally follows the street cleaners and tickets cars as soon as the sweeper moves on to the next block.  The first day I moved back from Chicago, I stayed overnight at a friends house in Carondelet.  I amazingly received a $15 street cleaning ticket and laughed at the effort.  In Chicago that ticket would be $60.  If it was $15 no one would take it seriously.  I've lived in Dogtown for 7 years since moving back and have never once seen a ticket on cars after street cleaning.  I love my neighbors, but no one moves their car on the proper days.  Half the street is not cleaned.  On my block, out of 18 homes, only four shoveled sidewalks.  Only one was elderly and unable to physically do the work and two of the 18 are rentals, so 11 of 15 able bodied homeowners chose not to do a thing.  It'll play out the same way next time because there's no enforcement and no bite if enforcement actually occurs.  Raise the fines, hire people to enforce ordinances and things will change.  Revenue created will pay for the enforcement and put money in the City's pocket to boot.          

This is anecdotal, but I've only lived in St. Louis since 2019 and my wife was a master at getting a ticket every month there for a while. 

That said, I agree that $15 isn't enough of a deterrent. 

I have gotten 2 parking tickets on my street.  I always forget!  I confuse myself if it is Monday or Tuesday.

Did Harvey's Coffee & Cocktails replace beffas?!?

Tough to hear. I've been curious what the economic impact of the storm will be.

dbInSouthCity wrote:Did Harvey's Coffee & Cocktails replace beffas?!?

Next door

STLinCHI wrote: ↑

Jan 27, 2025

The horrible sidewalk clearance of both commercial and residential property is another issue heading sideways due to the City's lack of enforcement.  Having spent 19 years in Chicago I can attest that enforcement keeps the populace focused on doing the right things.  Doesn't matter if it's snow clearance, snow route parking, street cleaning, metered parking, dangerous driving or overgrown yards.  Enforcement is key.  On Chicago's street cleaning days, an enforcement officer literally follows the street cleaners and tickets cars as soon as the sweeper moves on to the next block.  The first day I moved back from Chicago, I stayed overnight at a friends house in Carondelet.  I amazingly received a $15 street cleaning ticket and laughed at the effort.  In Chicago that ticket would be $60.  If it was $15 no one would take it seriously.  I've lived in Dogtown for 7 years since moving back and have never once seen a ticket on cars after street cleaning.  I love my neighbors, but no one moves their car on the proper days.  Half the street is not cleaned.  On my block, out of 18 homes, only four shoveled sidewalks.  Only one was elderly and unable to physically do the work and two of the 18 are rentals, so 11 of 15 able bodied homeowners chose not to do a thing.  It'll play out the same way next time because there's no enforcement and no bite if enforcement actually occurs.  Raise the fines, hire people to enforce ordinances and things will change.  Revenue created will pay for the enforcement and put money in the City's pocket to boot.          

Amazing how we've come full circle to complaining about the city not being predatory with regards to parking tickets.

StreetsBlog - The Deadly Cost of Unplowed Sidewalks in Winter


https://usa.streetsblog.org/2025/01/28/ ... -in-winter

That's . . . a very bad look. X( The no. 70 drove right past me one day when I was trying to not take the little Miata out in the snow because I wasn't standing in precisely the right spot by the damned pole, due to a giant snowbank. And given the slashed schedules . . . I just walked back to my house and took the roller skate out after all. Grr.

Day 30 - almost gone. I'm happy to say I didn't fall once.

It’s 72 with crystal clear skies on February 3rd. This is why StL will not, and should not, ever invest in the equivalent of a Great Lakes snow removal system.

There's a lot in between current policy and Buffalo capacity. Like hiring contractors to help when the forecast made it clear the snow and ice was going to stick around. 

You mean like what the city literally did?

Yeah, just do it right away.

TheWayoftheArch_V2.0 wrote: ↑

Feb 03, 2025

Auggie wrote: ↑

Feb 03, 2025

You mean like what the city literally did?

This user has to be a Spencer double agent, right?  No one is stubborn enough to keep pressing a lost battle like this. 

Yet another personal insult and Matt In STL is nowhere to be found.