|
Index
2008 St. Clair County Comprehensive Plan Update
Hanley Road Project Update
I64/40 Construction Project
Hwy 231/Telegraph Rd. Bridge at I-255
Hanley Road Update – A significant step in the right direction
Complete Streets is Illinois Law!
2008 St. Clair County Comprehensive Plan Update
Six public meetings will be held in March to review and seek input on the 2008 St. Clair County Comprehensive Plan. The plan is being prepared to help guide the decision making process concerning future development and preservation of the County and will address issues including land use, transportation and utilities.
Meeting dates and times include:
- Thursday, March 13, 3:00 – 6:00 PM at the St. Clair County MidAmerica Airport Lobby
- Thursday, March 13, 7:00 – 9:00 PM at the Freeburg Township Building
- Tuesday, March 18, 3:00 – 6:00 PM at the St. Clair County Courthouse
- Tuesday, March 18, 7:00 – 9:00 PM at the New Athens Community Building
- Thursday, March 20, 3:00 – 6:00 PM at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center
- Thursday, March 20, 7:00 – 9:00 PM at the Sugar Loaf Township Community Building
For more information, contact Mike Mitchell, St. Clair County Planning & Zoning Director at 618/277-6600 x 2530.
Hanley Road Project Update
On January 15, 2008 St. Louis County approved the establishment of a Transportation Development District,
known as a TDD. This TDD encompasses not only the Hanley/Manchester intersection that Trailnet has covered over the past half year, but also a recently added component of the I-64/Hanley interchange, commonly known as the ‘jug handle’. The ‘jug handle’ is a completely separate project from the Hanley Road project and is widely popular for addressing the major congestion at I-64 and Eager Road.
Trailnet and County Councilwoman Barbara Fraser, whose district encompasses these projects, opposed the TDD as it was proposed because all details had not been made public. Trailnet believes that Hanley can and should be designed more as an Urban Parkway, safely accommodating both motorists and non-motorists and facilitating safe passage to the publicly-funded MetroLink stations paralleling this project.
After the vote, Fraser thanked members of her District who supported opposition of the TDD as follows,
“Thanks for your opposition to the TDD on Hanley Road as it was proposed. I could not and (did not) support a project that so greatly impacted our region and my constituents ( you ! ) without knowing the details for the design and cost. I am opposed to the current plan for the overpass at Manchester because it does not accommodate people who live and shop in our area. A design that accommodates all users is possible. I am particularly concerned that Hanley is being designed to operate as a high speed, low-level expressway. The county wants Hanley to be similar to Highway # 141 over Manchester. (Yes - That was actually said by one of the engineers!). In spite of my opposition, however the council voted to support this TDD in a 3 to 4 vote. This means they will go ahead with the plan. I suggest that you continue your vigilance regarding this project and please stay informed about its progress. Though this is certainly a setback, (!) I am still hopeful that we can impact this high speed overpass plan in other ways -Thanks so much for your good citizenship and interest!”
The Maplewood City Council will be considering their own Hanley Road TDD on January 22 at Maplewood City Hall. For more information, contact Maplewood City Hall at 314/645-3600 or any of Maplewood’s elected officials:
I64/40 Construction Project
The I64/40 construction project has begun! Construction to rebuild I-64/US40 between Spoede Road and Kingshighway Blvd. is underway and is affecting motorists and cyclists alike.
On our I64/40 Construction Project webpage, we provide General Information about the construction project, Share the Road Information for Motorists and Cyclists, proposed Alternate Routes suggestions and
Look Out! – potentially hazardous road conditions to look out for as a cyclist or pedestrian during the I64/40 construction project.
Visit our I64/40 Construction Project webpage 
Hwy 231/Telegraph Rd. Bridge at I-255
Trailnet was contacted by several cyclists who attended MoDOT public meetings on this project and had safety concerns.
Design plans were requested from MoDOT and reviewed by Trailnet staff and Greg Luttrell of Trail Systems Engineering. Original plans included a bike lane on the east side of the bridge and a sidewalk on the west side. Per Trailnet's recommendations, a bike lane will also be added to the west side of the bridge and signals will be timed to allow for crossing two entrance ramps while traveling the east side bike lane of the bridge.
Hanley Road Update – A significant step in the right direction
Trailnet has been working over the last several months with St. Louis County and the municipalities of Brentwood and Maplewood on the County’s Hanley Road widening project.
The County’s original plan – an interchange over the intersection of Hanley and Manchester Roads - did not include provision of bicycle accommodation on the outside lane or sidewalks on both sides of the road from Litzsinger Road to Laclede Station Road. The widening project is similar to the Route 141/Manchester interchange - a massive 6 or 7 lane "highway" through our inner-ring suburbs. In July, Trailnet asked the public to help ensure bikeable/walkable communities by contacting Barbara Fraser, St. Louis County Council, District 5, and Russell Carnahan, U.S. House of Representatives, 3rd District Missouri.
After receiving more than 170 e-mails from Trailnet constituents, “an overwhelming response,” according to Fraser, she was able to help bring Trailnet into discussions with St. Louis County and the affected municipalities of Brentwood, Maplewood and Richmond Heights. Fraser stated, “the Hanley corridor is a place where people live, work and shop, and it includes MetroLink. I want to ensure a people-centered environment for all who use the whole corridor and accommodating MetroLink users, bicyclists and pedestrians who want to cross the road is critical.”
Dr. Greg Luttrell, of Trail Systems engineering, LLC was retained by Trailnet to provide engineering support for the preparation of municipal bicycle plans. Dr. Luttrell independently studied the County’s plan and proposed an alternate design solution that would accommodate for 14-foot wide outside bicycle lanes. This solution would not require the acquisition of additional right-of-way by the County to accommodate the County’s desire to minimize additional right-of-way purchases. Additionally, this solution does meet AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) standards, but was rejected by St. Louis County officials. The County’s stated reason for rejecting Trailnet’s alternate design proposal was that it would encourage pedestrians and bicyclists along this stretch of Hanley Road and open the County up to potential lawsuits from injured (or worse) pedestrians and bicyclists. Note also that Federal policy guidelines require the accommodation of pedestrians and bicyclists (Source: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations).
Read Letter to St. Louis County from Trailnet
Read Response from St. Louis County
A number of meetings then ensued between Trailnet, Dr. Luttrell, Saint Louis County, public officials including County Councilwoman Barbara Fraser, Senator Joan Bray and Congressman Russ Carnahan (responsible for securing federal dollars for this project), mayors and staff of the surrounding municipalities to discuss the County’s plans and Trailnet’s alternate design solution that would accommodate the 14-foot wide outside bicycle lanes. After hearing the serious concerns from leadership of the impacted municipalities, St. Louis County's Department of Highways and Traffic issued a stop order, calling for more time to investigate other design solutions. A subsequent October 12 joint letter from Brentwood and Maplewood provides specific ideas for an improved Hanley Road that does not "bisect..the communities ..without regard for affording ..traffic access to homes and businesses along the route." The Mayor of Richmond Heights to date, does not support bicycle and pedestrian access along Hanley Road.
Read Stop Order from St. Louis County
Read joint letter
from Brentwood and Maplewood
As of October, 2007 the issue has not been resolved; however, Barbara Fraser remains optimistic that a positive outcome will be obtained. Barbara continues, “Trailnet needs to be responsive to its mission of Promoting Active Living. It is incumbent upon the organization to educate the public and the elected officials who make these decisions.” We agree. Through public engagement, we are able to connect with and educate our elected officials about why transportation planning is a core component of Active Living: about how including bicycle, pedestrian and mass transit facilities accommodate more people and provide opportunities for us all to be healthier and more active.
The window of opportunity to provide public input on the Hanley Road widening project is short. We will be most effective in ensuring good designs that accommodate bicycles, pedestrians and mass transit users – if Trainet’s constituents help educate the elected officials who make these decisions. It is essential to remain involved, to communicate your vision of the "new" Hanley Road with your Mayors and City Council members, particularly if you live, work or frequent the municipalities of Richmond Heights, Brentwood and Maplewood.Most importantly, attend upcoming City Council meetings to voice any concerns and to keep up-to-date on votes regarding the funding of road projects.
Please help by indicating your support for revisiting the Hanley design by contacting:
St. Louis County Executive, Charlie Dooley
Phone: 314/615-7016
Mail:
41 South Central Avenue,
Clayton, MO 63105
E-mail: cdooley@stlouisco.com
Website: www.stlouisco.com
Mayor of Richmond Heights, Betty Humphrey
Phone: 314/781-5486
Mail:
1330 S. Big Bend Blvd.
Richmond Heights, Missouri 63117
E-mail: bhumphrey@richmondheights.org
Website: www.richmondheights.org
Mayor of Brentwood, Pat Kelly
Phone: 314/962-4800
Mail:
2348 S. Brentwood Blvd.
Brentwood, MO 63144
E-mail: pkelly@brentwoodmo.org
Website: www.brentwoodmo.org
Mayor of Maplewood, Mark Langston
Phone: 314/645-3600
Mail:
7601 Manchester Road
Maplewood, MO 63143
E-mail: mark@marklangston.us
Website: www.cityofmaplewood.com
Complete Streets is Illinois Law!
The Illinois House voted to override the Governor’s amendatory veto on Senate Bill 314 – meaning that Complete Streets is now Illinois law for IDOT roadways!
The bill was approved overwhelmingly by the Legislature in June, but was gutted by Gov. Blagojevich’s amendatory veto on August 31. The bill had required IDOT to include walkways and bicycle ways in their road designs in urban areas (with reasonable exceptions). The veto made this optional. Both the Senate (53-0, October 3) and the House (109-3, October 10) voted to return to the original, meaningful language.
The result? IDOT reconstruction and expansion roadwork in urban areas must now include provision for people who walk or bike. IDOT performance in this area had been poor, despite calls for reform of urban sidewalk and bikeway policies by LIB, the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, and others. Thanks go to the bill sponsors (Sen. Ed Maloney, Rep. Joe Lyons), and also to CBF for leading the charge on this year’s version of the bill. Both organizations will continue our work with IDOT on policy revisions – but this time backed by Illinois law.
Read more from the League of Illinois Bicyclists
|
