Opinion: Grand Blvd & Forest Park Ave One Of Many Intersections That Should Be Redesigned

A slim majority (52,75%) of those who voted in Sunday’s poll agree with St. Louis Magazine’s Chris Naffziger that the intersection of Grand Blvd & Forest Park Ave — continuing East to Market/I-64 — should be replaced:

The solution to the morass of broken asphalt, crumbling overpasses and roaring traffic requires St. Louis to look to the past design of the neighborhood. I am not claiming that every aspect of St. Louis’s past is worth emulating, but I do know that the built environment was much more equitable for pedestrians. The interstate-like entrance ramps from Forest Park Avenue to Highway 40 should be replaced, removing the huge swaths of dead space, and allowing for a safer pedestrian environment. I feel bad for the residents of the Council Plaza apartment buildings; most are elderly, and they are forced to cross wide streets, with speeding cars threatening them, and sidewalks that are shattered to pieces from wear and tear. Redesigning this area is more than just reviving historic urban planning; it is about providing an equitable built environment for all people, pedestrian and motorist, young and old. (St. Louis Magazine)

I agree. Over six years ago I talked about this area in the context of the then Del Taco “flying saucer” at Grand & Forest Park. In that post I included a 1958 aerial image I’d purchased from HistoricAerials.com. In 1958 Forest Park Ave ended at Grand on the East — the land was being cleared to connect it to Market Street. The Danial Boone Expressway, later highway 40/I-64. hadn’t been built this far East yet either.

The tight street grid has been repeatedly screwed up over the years…in the name of progress. Meanwhile, the population has continued to drop. Decades ago St. Louisans willfully followed Harland Bartholomew as he forcefully reshaped the city, and by extension, the region. into an auto-centric mess at the expense of the pedestrian, cyclist, and transit user.

The area around Grand Blvd & Forest Park Ave has been decimated on purpose. Crime rose as a result. Saint Louis University made matters worse by fencing the campus off from the city.

If St. Louis wants to recover it must remake itself for humans — not just those driving.

b

Q: Agree or disagree: St. Louis should replace Forest Park Ave going under Grand Blvd with a conventional at-grade intersection.

• Strongly agree 15 [37.5%]
• Agree [10 25%]
• Somewhat agree 2 [5%]
• Neither agree or disagree 2 [5%]
• Somewhat disagree 2 [5%]
• Disagree 4 [10%]
• Strongly disagree 5 [12.5%]
• Unsure/No Answer 0 [0%]

b

b

I don’t think the city/region has the political will to reverse Bartholomew’s lasting legacy.

— Steve Patterson

Judge: Special Business District Did Not Comply With State Law, Board Members Failed To Disclose Conflicts of Interest

In January 2016 the Locust Business District was sued by a property owner within the district. Last month the property owner, Bob Wood, was victorious. Yes, for 18 months he’s tried to improve transparency of just one of the city’s many special districts. From March:

But for more than a year, Bob Wood has been battling in court with the Locust Business District, which collects a special property tax estimated to bring in about $325,000 this year to fund security and events in an area stretching from Downtown West to Midtown.

Wood, the owner of the Majestic Stove and Adler Lofts in the district, took his case to trial in St. Louis Circuit Court this week, where his attorney, Elkin Kistner, grilled Locust Business District board members about meeting minutes, budgeting and the tedium of administering a taxing district.

Wood said he was looking for Judge Joan Moriarty to say that some of the district’s management and budgeting practices were illegal. A ruling in the case is expected in about two months. (Post-Dispatch)

I’ve been following the case since it was filed. The ruling was in Wood’s favor:

Budget practices at the Locust Business District did not comply with Missouri law, board members failed to disclose conflicts of interest and the district made unlawful donations of tax money, a St. Louis judge ruled Tuesday.

The ruling by St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Joan Moriarty caps over a year of litigation against the special taxing district, which uses property taxes to pay for security, marketing and events in an area stretching from Downtown West to midtown. (Post-Dispatch)

Judge Moriarity’s 16-page ruling doesn’t mince words, for example:

The District routinely spends money without Board approval. Its Rules, Policies and Procedures explicitly authorize expenditures by the Chairman of the Board of up tp $2,500 without board approval.

The Board frequently considers matters presented to it by Commissions who have personal, financial interests in those matters. Such matters present conflicts of interest. Commissioners who are so conflicted do not make written disclosures of the nature of those conflicts, nor do they always refrain from participating in Board discussions of, and votes on, such matters. (See ruling) 

By some estimates there are at least 100 such districts in the greater St. Louis region, there are probably at least a few more like this. Don’t expect your elected official to make sure this doesn’t happen — it can benefit them greatly.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Should Forest Park Ave & Grand Become An At-Grade Intersection?

In late May Chris Naffziger advocated in a St. Louis Magazine piece that the intersection of Forest Park Ave & Grand Blvd should be changed — returned to a conventional at-grsde intersection.This is currently happening to the West at Forest Park & Kingshighway. See in Google Streetview if you’re unfamiliar.

I thought this was an interesting idea so I saved the article. I’m not going to quote from it because I don’t want to sway your vote in today’s poll.

This poll will close at 8pm. my thoughts & results on Wednesday

. — Steve Patterson