Downtown St. Louis Residents Association

Hi! My name is Rick Bonasch and while I don't live downtown, I've worked downtown for over 10 years. I live in South City. I read Brad Fratello's piece in the Post Dispatch a few weeks ago about filling in the depressed lanes, and thought he hit the nail right on the head.

I'm posting here to see if this is an issue that the DRA has considered addressing. If so, I would like to work with you to build a coalition in support of this concept. With plans for better connecting the riverfront and Arch grounds to downtown getting attention right now, along with the new bridge over the Mississippi apparently back on track, it's now or never to weigh in on this issue.

Please contact me at rbonasch@sbcglobal.net if you are interested in working together on this issue. Thanks.

Hi Rick. I'm not familiar with the referenced article, but I do know that connecting the riverfront and Archgrounds with downtown has a lot of high-level support both locally and nationally. It's complicated by the fact that the National Park Service owns the Arch grounds and thus a lot of bureaucracy is necessary to make changes. John Danforth is leading a push to help make this change.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, the issue is being explored by the Danforth Foundation, and the NPS controls the Arch grounds (and it sounds like some of the immediately adjacent area as well, including sections of Memorial Drive.

Brad Fratello, pres. of the DRA, wrote about filling in the depressed lanes, and rerouting I-70 with the new Mississippi River bridge.

Is this something the DRA as an organization is considering pursuing as a formal goal? Would the Danforth Foundation be looking into this same possibility? Maybe it was mentioned in their recently released report, but I haven't seen a copy of it.

Got a link to the PD article? It'd be nice to read it. I think one can see how highly complex this would be from a political standpoint, however intriguing it is. It'd take buy-in from many agencies and how much would it cost in the end? I know the Danforth Foundation had considered creating a lid, I'm not sure if they considered this other scenario. As far as the DSLRA serving as an advocate, you could email the current president whose email is listed on the website.

Another idea, fill in the depressed area only to have the current interstate connector continue underground.

Post edited by: innov8ion, at: 2007/11/01 12:49

The op-ed pieces are not showing up in a search of the PD archives. Brad Fratello wrote the article, so it should be no problem to get a copy from him. The date of the paper was Sunday, October 7.

Today's SLBJ has another editorial on the future of the Arch grounds, this one written by the current president of Civic Progress. He doesn't recommend any specific options, rather simply that all interested St. Louisans should write to their federal representatives requesting that they get on board the idea of returning local control of portion of the Arch grounds to St. Louis.

The DSLRA is in a unique position. Since they are the immediate *neighbors* of the Arch and riverfront, they have a unique perspective. They should be considered for a seat on the governing body if a new entity is formed to help shape future of the Arch grounds.

In terms of priorities, how do folks think this issue rates to the members of the DSLRA?

As a fellow city resident, it's high on my list. It would be great if we could rally a group of interested people to work together for the optimal outcome of this civic challenge.

funny...this topic has come and gone since the early 1980's...hopefully our reps will put it to the congressional vote that is needed to gain the land back from national parks...which is needed due to the Arch grounds / Courthouse grounds....yea, would love to cover highway 70 but what's the point if nothing can be done becasuse it's sandwiched by federal land???? BUT...remember, if that happens we will lose funding for maintaining & promoting the arch & courthouse......there are a lot of avenue's to follow up and the danforth foundation is leading it...

before that is done 'how bout we put some pressure on the city to fix the tunnels / cave in of 12th street near cole? i know my neighborhood (columbus square) is working on that now..