Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) and AARP in St. Louis were honored at the East-West Gateway Council of Governments’ 60th Annual Meeting on November 14. CMT and AARP were presented with an Outstanding Local Government Achievement (OLGA) award in the Leadership in Planning and Design Innovation category in recognition of the Story of a Bench placemaking program.
There are hundreds of bus stops throughout the region without any type of amenities for riders to utilize while waiting. In response, Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) and AARP in St. Louis launched the Story of a Bench earlier this year to help build better bus stops by adding a simple yet impactful amenity – a bench.
Partners had a goal of completing five bus bench installations in the program’s inaugural year, while chronicling whether the investment in the benches leads to additional enhancements at the 
stops, including amenities like a trash receptacle, shelter, landscaping, etc. The program’s first two benches were installed in Swansea, Ill., in June. Three additional installations in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County were completed in October, helping to achieve the original goal. Installations in East St. Louis and Cahokia Heights in November bring the total to seven, and additional projects are set to be completed before the end of the year.
Visit the program webpage to learn more and find out how you can become a partner on our next Story of a Bench installation.
