As always, the weekly poll is located in the upper right corner of the blog. Â The topic this week is the annual Mardi Gras celebration in Soulard. Â Did you go? Â Why or why not?
My last time was 2006, I was there for 12 hours! Â Had a great time but I didn’t return because, for me, one day of drunken debauchery in my life was enough. But I want to know your thoughts on this popular annual event.
– Steve Patterson
Wall repair is ongoing at the Renaissance Suites hotel at 9th & Washington Ave.
The exterior surface of the wall collapsed in June 2009 (pics of the damage here). Quite a long time!
– Steve Patterson
The (#99) Downtown Trolley has become, for me, an important part of downtown. Yesterday I had to go to the Millennium Hotel on 4th Street for an Affordable Housing Conference. Sure, it is a regular bus with a unique exterior wrap but the frequency & route are why I use it regularly.
As a downtown (west) resident I could have “walked” since I have a power chair. But Google Maps says the distance is 1.4 miles via a direct route. That distance in the chair is no big deal, it has plenty of power for the round trip.
Just like physically walking that distance, it becomes exhausting dealing with the number of intersections to cross.
The Downtown Trolley has a limited fixed route that covers much of downtown, but not all. I had to go a few blocks from my loft to catch the trolley and another few to reach my final destination. Still, I was able to do about a mile of my journey on the trolley.
Studies show people are generally willing to walk about a quarter of a mile but anything beyond that those willing to walk drops off dramatically.Returning home at the end of the day it was a nice evening and I had stop to make so I skipped the trolley entirely.
– Steve Patterson
St. Louis could learn something from Webster. Â No, not the suburb Webster Groves, Webster Mass:
WEBSTER, Mass. – The health board in a Massachusetts town has approved a plan to shame owners of rundown buildings into fixing and securing their properties.The plan approved Monday by the Webster board allows the town to place 4-by-8-foot signs on the sides of dilapidated buildings with the owner’s names, address and telephone number. (Mass. town approves plan to shame property owners)
St. Louis could just print lots of signs with the same info — no, not Paul McKee:
The LRA “receives title to all tax delinquent properties not sold at the Sheriff’s sale. Also receives title to properties through donations. The SLDC Real Estate Department maintains, markets, and sells these properties and performs land assemblage for future development.” Maintains?
– Steve Patterson
The poll last week was about the St. Louis rolling stop:
Q: When coming to a stop sign or red light I:
- sometimes do a full stop, other times I don’t, just depends 72 [41.14%]
- come to a full & complete stop at every stop sign/red light 62 [35.43%]
- only do a complete stop if I see a cop or a camera. 18 [10.29%]
- Stop means roll, right? 10 [5.71%]
- I don’t drive a car 9 [5.14%]
- Other answer… 4 [2.29%]
I’d like to think I always come to a full stop, but i know I don’t always. Here are the four other answers:
- Cant compare the two.
- treat as yield, use discretion, be responsible
- stop signs and red lights are totlly different. This poll is dumb
- I do a rolling stop if 3 black punks are on the corner waiting to rob me if i st
Hmm, “stop signs and red lights are totlly [sic] different. This poll is dumb” Â Are they totally different? From the Missouri Driver Guide:
Both require a full/complete stop. The rules about proceeding after coming to a stop are different, but otherwise they are very similar.
– Steve Patterson