St. Louis hasn’t had an official transportation plan since 1948. This fall, that will change.
The Transportation and Mobility Plan is set to be adopted in September or October. The city has spent the past year gathering feedback from community members about their largest transportation concerns, and this week is the last chance to do so before the plan draft is released.
The city will hold its final open houses on Wednesday and Saturday about the Transportation and Mobility Plan. The same information will be shared at both.
- 5 to 7 p.m. July 16 at Piper Palm House in Tower Grove Park, 4721 Northeast Drive
- 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 19 at St. Alphonsus “The Rock” Church, 1118 N. Grand Blvd.
The open houses will include information stations about the plan, as well as free shaved ice and lawn games.
Project manager Scott Ogilvie said the next step after the open houses is to release a full draft of the plan and open it up to public comment.
“People can see the goals and priorities in the plan, get a sense of all the different chapters of the plan,” Ogilvie said.
After the public comment period, the city's Planning Commission will consider the plan for adoption. It will then be the city’s acting transportation guideline for the next 10 to 25 years.
In various surveys, the city found that 51% of residents have been involved in a traffic crash in St. Louis, and 21% have either personally been injured in a crash or had a loved one killed or injured in one.
“That was pretty eye opening for our team when we got started,” said project manager Jacque Knight.
Ogilvie said road safety was one of the primary concerns among community members. The plan seeks to address that.
“Over time, it’ll mean fewer people are injured or killed while traveling around in St. Louis. People will feel safer,” Ogilvie said.
The plan will provide a framework for city departments for future transportation infrastructure projects. Some things are already funded and in progress, including 25 bike-related projects.
New bicycle projects on the way
The city held a bike network workshop Monday night where cyclists and community members learned more about new trails, bike lanes and greenways proposed or already under construction.
“No matter where people live across the city, they can get to one of these really higher end facilities,” Ogilvie said. “They can leave their house and they can safely and comfortably bike to places they want to go."
Ogilvie presented a map at the workshop that showcased plans for even more bike infrastructure. Community members were encouraged to share their feedback and suggestions on the map.
“If the map we produce this fall, when the plan is adopted, isn't perfect, it doesn't mean it has to stay like that for the next 20 years,” Ogilvie said.
