urbanSTL

From the eyes of a tourist today, I grabbed a (completely random!) few shots of things that would make our downtown friendlier to visitors, or just a little nicer in general.



First, the MetroLink ride downtown - what could be better than MetroLink? The train was nice and crowded, with lots of activity along the entire line.







Not to repeat the thread under another topic, but the Landing is pretty sad. The food court was pretty depressing. The major adulteration on the historic landing (beyond the perennially boarded up building near 1st St and Washington) are the huge swaths of parking. The Landing will never be desirable with such large expanses of useless dead space.







Nice crowds at the Arch. The lagoon is a sickly green color; heard lots of visitor comments about it. There was an odor as well. I wish the National Park Service would do something about it.







The line to get in was huge at about 5:00. So much potential to entertain tourists with a magic show or other act. While in Boston last week, I noticed huge gatherings all over touristy areas such as Faneuil Hall. It added so much life and vibrancy to the scene. If such life were allowed on the Arch grounds, it would be a vast improvement.







Again, lots of potential for waiting tourists and those boarding the sightseeing buses.







Basic common sense to improve this intersection. Who should have to carry a stroller down a curb?







The epitome of a minor consideration -- pick your trash cans so that accumulated trash isn't visible underneath.

The only thing I would disagree with is MetroLink...



Why should we complain that it's crowded?



The only thing I think this means is that trains should have maybe (at least) a 3rd car attached. I think the demand is there by now.

Good point.



I sure hope they are.

Mike, I started out with a good point before the complaints. I was very happy to see the train nice and busy! So no complaint there.



Also, the platforms are not long enough for a third car. The point was brought up in a FAQ in a MetroLink guide published by the Post-Dispatch in the early 90s before the first line opened up. I remember it mentioning that should demand increase, the only real option is to increase frequency of trains.



It is possible, I guess, to pull in a 3-car train in such a way that the first car is only half on the platform, then the second car is fully on, and the third is half on. Then just open the correct doors so that people don't fall out. I'm sure there's some rule against that though

Metro watches via cameras throughout the system on frequency and traffic control. Upon crowded trains - frequency is the only thing that helps overflow. Additional trains will be added.



Metro also runs more trains in account to special events, games, conventions, etc... prir to the demand to be "ahead of the game".



Overall, the system is always crowded it seems like. Went downtown last night for sushi after drinks in the CWE and the train was packed - with no games or events going on dwntwn. Downtown was also packed out = streets and restaurants. So was the train - both ways.

the south ferry stop in new york is only long enough for half the train to be on the platform, there is an annuncement telling people to move to the first five cars a few stops ahead of time. then agian, that is just one. there are two stops where that would be really difficult to lengthen the platforms.

^bikin'man, I have been on that train, too, to catch the Staten Island Ferry with my mother. The first time I was on it, I didn't understand the announcement, but was lucky that people were kind enough to tell us what to do. It is confusing. Is Metrolink set up for people to move from car to car. I don't think it is.

well, the announcements on the new york subway are so unitelagiable i'm suprised anyone gets anywhere, specialy tourists. i used to say i didn't get off at 28th street, i got off at "dsflksadjfnklan klafj dsakfjdakj gnhdajkgh ea;kjgdkagnf jeraihjngk ah iajg." only 5 lines out of 29 have automated announcements. at least here you can understand the opperator.

maybe the Metro should have automated information in more than English like Spanish, French, German, and Japanese. Or at least signs.

Automated announcements would be great. Some operators take great joy in mentioning three or more times which side the doors will open.



Another takes the entire distance from Stadium to Civic Center saying "Our next stop is the Civic Center MetroLink station. This station gives you access to the Savvis Center, home to the Saint Louis Blues Hockey Team, as well as access to the bus lines given the following numbers and names: seventy-four Florissant, Fifty-Two Clayton South County, Eighty Shaw-Southampton, Eleven-X Shrewsbury Express, Thirty Two Wellston - M L King, Ninety Four Page. We ask that while on board the train, whether the train is in motion or not, to please refrain from eating food, drinking beverages, or smoking cigarettes, pipes, or cigars. As always, we thank you for choosing Metro Link as your choice of transportation from one place to another here in St. Louis Missouri..."



A nice quick summary would be just fine. Automated voices also psychologically suggest that you need not listen if you know what stop you need, etc. Regular commuters would appreciate it.



By the way, they did test out a somewhat automated system in several buses last year. It was called the "TransitMaster" (google it) and would have cost the agency something like 3 million. But if you've ever ridden a bus in, say, Chicago, you know how useful it can be, announcing stops and major intersections automatically.

I find the automated bus messages annoying. I am sure they are helpful to tourists, but the constant announcements, "1st Street, 2nd Street, 3rd Street" can drive me nuts after awhile.

I agree with Expat. I mean really, an automated system in (English, Spanish, French, German, and Japanese). ALl those languages, it would take forever and be really anoying.

Technically, they should be making the announcements anyway -- some drivers do, and if you've heard the gain and amplification settings on most '02 and newer Bi-State buses , you would agree that an automated announcement would be far more desirable.



Of course, they don't have to announce *every* street, only major ones, and when intersecting another bus line.



I don't think multiple languages are a requirement. How many ways are there to say "Chouteau" or "Gravois"?

Actually, I wouldn't mind an automated bus message if they kept it to just major intersections and transfer points. Some of the buses in DC have messages that never stop. They announce every corner and street. I suppose that DC is so tourist heavy, it may be a good idea. But as an everyday rider, it can start to make you crazy.



Are the buses set up so that tourist can easily understand how to pick one up to go to favorite destinations, such as Soulard, etc. They didn't used to be, but I wonder if there has been improvement. For instance, a tourist wouldn't know to catch a Lafayette bus to go to Soulard or a Southampton bus to go to Lafayette Square? They really should set up walking tours in those neigborhoods (& others) and tell people how to get there on a bus. It would be nice if they could pick up walking tour pamphlets at downtown hotels that included transit info. It would encourage people to get out to the neighborhoods.

bprop wrote:


I don't think multiple languages are a requirement. How many ways are there to say "Chouteau" or "Gravois"?

I think we've proven, in just the St. Louis Metro area alone, that it's limitless.

I dunno a three story toilet might be cool, we could charge admission, like 5 dollars to go #1 and 10 to go # 2



Or if it was a solid gold toilet we could charge like 50 times more.



So ya they should build a 3 story toilet.

St. Louis Texan wrote:I dunno a three story toilet might be cool, we could charge admission, like 5 dollars to go #1 and 10 to go # 2



Or if it was a solid gold toilet we could charge like 50 times more.



So ya they should build a 3 story toilet.

I guess we could call it "The Lou"

Doug wrote:Get in a time machine and shoot whoever decided to destroy the Ambassador building.





I would recommend fixing the riverfront... getting rid of those fake 'riverboats', move the casino queen somewhere else, as it is an eye sore, restore the brickwork on the actual river front. Place a museum that is solely about the city of St. Louis: its history, famous people, art, literature, architecture, industry, etc. Basically a place where people can go and learn about St. Louis.





It would be cool to ride a horse in the park on the river, yeah, that would be really cool.

Doesn't this exist in the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park? I think a museum downtown about anything - if it is well done and original would be awesome. Have people "rent" a little hand held device that tells them as much as they would want to know about a certain topic. Like they have at Gettysburg and Vicksburg - have VERY knowledgeable people at this museum answering questions - and give them resources to answer the most detailed of questions. Make it so - unlike a few of the museums here in STL - kids can enjoy it as much as teens, young adults, parents and old folks. I think an awesome museum would be one awesome key.

Personally, I think that the most obvious major attraction that our city is missing is an aquarium. There's been talk about adding one several times, but it's never come to fruition.



We already have a world class zoo and science center, and an aquarium would be the perfect complement.

aimster wrote:Personally, I think that the most obvious major attraction that our city is missing is an aquarium. There's been talk about adding one several times, but it's never come to fruition.



We already have a world class zoo and science center, and an aquarium would be the perfect complement.

Agreed. The earliest plans for Ballpark Village that I saw included and aquarium. Then it sort of disappeared. Then, about 2 years ago someone announced that they were going to build an aquarium out at 40 and Hanley, next to the Richmond Heights Community Center, and that it was going to break ground "any day now". Nothing has happened on that, so I assume it is dead (thankfully). Now somewhere recently, I saw another BV plan, and it looked the aquarium was back in there.



So who knows?

The guy who operated the small aquarium in the Hanley Industrial Court joined forces with Bob Cassilly and now operates out of the City Museum.



I think an aquarium would be pretty cool, but I've always heard that they're huge money losers, which might keep it from ever happening.

Granted it is brand new and stil novel - but from everything I have heard the new aquarium in Atlanta is a huge sucess - surpassing the wildest dreams of everyone... it CAN be a sucess - but then again - does the Zoo make money? Doesn't mean its not worth having....