Cross County MetroLink and Pedestrians
This spring CMT will be rolling out a pedestrian/transit program called the "Ten Toe Express." Since transit riders tend to be pedestrians, the program will focus on encouraging people to view the pedestrian portion of their trip as a positive aspect, working in some exercise as part of their work commute for instance. We have funding from the Missouri Foundation for Health to work with senior citizens to use transit to improve their mobility and as well as increase their level of exercise.
All this brings me to the point that our "Ten Toe Express" team spent the day doing walking audits of each of the MetroLink Stations. I teamed with Dr. Laura Brennan-Ramirez on the Cross County Stations. We focused on a half mile radius of each station. (When we planned the day weeks ago, it seemed like a good idea, not knowing it would be a coldest morning of the winter.) Dr. Ramirez and I noticed a number of things at the stations and want your observations as well.
Exit signage in the Skinker and Big Bend tunnel stations is confusing to me. Kayak's Coffee is a great location on a cold day.
Going south on foot from the Central Avenue Station is circuitous at best. Richmond Heights to the Galleria or Boulevard is difficult. Made more difficult today by the fact the snow plows had filled the sidewalk on the north side of Galleria Parkway with snow. Thankfully, St. Louis County and Richmond Heights are aware of the issue and are supposed to be working on a plan to address pedestrian access to the station. Pedestrians are prohibited from going east from the station. The Tropicana and surrounding parking lot appears to be a good place for transit oriented development. Steady traffic during the day today to and from the Richmond Heights Station.
At Maplewood, sidewalks on the North side of Manchester are too narrow or non existent headed west. This needs a remedy. There were walks east bound with the caveat, "walker beware."
Sunnen stations has walks the lead to the station, but unless you work at the business park, where would you want to go. We did observe one pedestrian with bags walking to the station from the south. Also there as a sign at the South platform that read "Access to All Trains."
We will be sharing the observations with Metro and the affected municipalities. Let me know what you observe.
All this brings me to the point that our "Ten Toe Express" team spent the day doing walking audits of each of the MetroLink Stations. I teamed with Dr. Laura Brennan-Ramirez on the Cross County Stations. We focused on a half mile radius of each station. (When we planned the day weeks ago, it seemed like a good idea, not knowing it would be a coldest morning of the winter.) Dr. Ramirez and I noticed a number of things at the stations and want your observations as well.
Exit signage in the Skinker and Big Bend tunnel stations is confusing to me. Kayak's Coffee is a great location on a cold day.
Going south on foot from the Central Avenue Station is circuitous at best. Richmond Heights to the Galleria or Boulevard is difficult. Made more difficult today by the fact the snow plows had filled the sidewalk on the north side of Galleria Parkway with snow. Thankfully, St. Louis County and Richmond Heights are aware of the issue and are supposed to be working on a plan to address pedestrian access to the station. Pedestrians are prohibited from going east from the station. The Tropicana and surrounding parking lot appears to be a good place for transit oriented development. Steady traffic during the day today to and from the Richmond Heights Station.
At Maplewood, sidewalks on the North side of Manchester are too narrow or non existent headed west. This needs a remedy. There were walks east bound with the caveat, "walker beware."
Sunnen stations has walks the lead to the station, but unless you work at the business park, where would you want to go. We did observe one pedestrian with bags walking to the station from the south. Also there as a sign at the South platform that read "Access to All Trains."
We will be sharing the observations with Metro and the affected municipalities. Let me know what you observe.
Labels: MetroLink, pedestrians
posted by CMT at
2:59 PM
2 Comments:
Pedestrain access to the Cross-County appears to be an afterthought.
The Skinker and Big Bend Stations have sidewalks so after some time spent getting a sense of direction these stations work OK. Signage would help!
Clayton and Forsyth Stations are pretty straightforward but leave most people with an unaccostomed distance to walk. Accurate bus signage with more local information would help pedestrians use Metrobuses as "trolleys" to make stops in downtown Clayton.
Richmond Heights and Brentwood are dreadful for pedestrians.
Maplewood Station connects to three bus lines which provide easy access to shopping. Downtown Maplewood is a very walkable "main street" community.
Sunnen has few walkers but in my experience the connection to # 56 Webster-Kirkwood is always on time (and usually almost empty). Both of those cities have plentiful and attractive walking.
The Shrewsbury Station in itself has almost no walking opportunities, but the residents of the area could make good use of the bus connections to get to The Hill and the Botanical Gardens as well as South County Mall.
I have reminded Metro several times of the shortcomings of signage, especially for bus-riders who are truly car-free. Metro is aware of problems but seems to have no time or personnel to deal with them. I find this personally frustrating and I think it is self-defeating for Metro in the long run. I trust CMT will be more effective than single voices in remedying this situation.
Blogger won't let me post this on the appropriate post from September, but there is an excellent 60 minute documentary that people should see on the systematic dismantling of the nation's streetcar networks in the 50s and 60s. This was done deliberately by the auto industry (and its ancillaries like the tire industry) for no purpose but to force higher demand and profits for cars. The campaign was secretive and deceptive, and duped people and communities into opposing their own interests. It's called Taken for a Ride. Hopefully you can borrow it from the library; it's expensive to buy.
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