Park Drive Cutoff

One of the topics of discussion at the very crowded 28th Ward Democratic Committee meeting November 17 at Dressel's Pub Above centered on the recent closing of the Park Drive cutoff at Lindell and Union. The cutoff was originally installed for automobiles when streetcar tracks ran down Lindell Blvd. (Union Ave.??? See comments below).  Alderman Lyda Krewson said that the intersection had been identified as dangerous for pedestrians and bicyclists alike crossing into Forest Park. She emailed today to say that it isn't "all 'bout cars anymore...we are trying to take into account walkers, runners & bikers, without inconveniencing drivers." The road was closed temporarily as part of the City's "Complete Streets" Ordinance, which has been in effect for a couple of years. The ordinance "encourages guiding principles and practices so that transportation improvements are planned, designed and constructed to encourage walking, bicycling and transit use while promoting safe operations for all users." Park Drive is still a public street, just closed off, like many others.

The three homeowners that front the cutoff have access to their property, and emergency vehicles can enter, if necessary. Calls and emails to Lyda from 28th Ward residents have been 70% for the closure to 30% against.

The city recently painted new zebra crosswalks on all four sides, which provide a friendly notification to drivers to yield to peds/bikers. If the closure remains, Lyda hopes to have planters installed across the west end of the pie-shaped parcel instead of the concrete barricades, shown above. There isn't money in the city's budget to do much more beautification at this point. When asked at the meeting if the homeowners who front the parcel would be able to purchase the property, the Alderman replied that the cutoff would remain the property of the City of St. Louis.

Comments

[Lyda Krewson]

Nicki... thanks so much for providing the information to folks! Most of the neighbors that I visit with think it is a safer situation especially for walkers/bikers. It has also had the added benefit of eliminating one signal along Lindell.

For those who have noticed the work going on at the corners along Lindell, the lights are being 'rewired' using fiber... so that they can be more easily synchronized. That means a little cleaner air.

Thanks Lyda

[Andrewjfaulkner]

Actually streetcars never ran along Lindell. After the massive investment by the creators to remove the Rock Island railyards west of Union, they weren't going to let a street railway cut them off from Forest Park! Rather, Lindell was always transit-free from the intersection with Olive to its terminus. The #1 and #3 streetcars followed Olive and then the current route of the Metro Gold bus (to the north) and the #6 came south on Union to Pershing where it met the route of the #3.

Other than those routes, the Central West End was also served by the #23 Market-Laclede (terminating at the Laclede Pavilion West of Kingshighway in Forest Park), the #5 (Delmar-Manchester on Euclid), and the #2 (Olive to Maryland via Boyle). Interestingly the #2 was originally cable powered and the cut-offs required by cable turns at Olive and Boyle and Boyle and Maryland still exist.

[Andrewjfaulkner]

< above should have read "founders of Portland and Westmoreland Place" instead of creators.

[Lyda krewson]

I was told that the rail line that is now under the Lindell Union bridge used to run at grade, crossing diagonally across the intersection. Would be interested in confirming or not? Thanks! Lyda