Tucker Boulevard Cycle Track Project
The Tucker Blvd Cycle Track will consist of a 2-way, street level, physically protected bicycle and scooter facility on the existing asphalt pavement along the west side of North Tucker Boulevard between Washington Avenue and Chouteau Avenue.
Project Overview
Tucker Boulevard is a key transportation corridor that runs through the civic and business heart of Downtown Saint Louis, Missouri. As a principal arterial road, it supports various modes of transportation, linking residents, workers, and visitors to essential goods, services, and destinations. This project corridor spans two wards and four neighborhoods, providing access to important locations such as firehouses, schools like Saint Louis University Law School, and numerous city parks. It also connects civic landmarks, including City Hall, the City Justice Center, Carnahan Courthouse, and the Eagleton Federal Courthouse, along with cultural icons like Busch Stadium and Gateway Arch National Park. Upgrading this corridor will help close a critical gap in the City’s bicycle and pedestrian network, offering direct access to neighborhoods both north and south of Downtown Saint Louis.
Project Location / Description
This project spans 0.94 miles of Tucker Boulevard, extending from Washington Avenue in the north to Chouteau Avenue in the south. The current roadway design presents both physical and psychological barriers for those traveling the corridor. Most of this project corridor consists of seven lanes dedicated to automobile traffic, plus two additional lanes for parking. At its narrowest point—over the Mill Creek Railyard just south of downtown—the roadway narrows to six vehicle lanes with two minimal-width sidewalks. As a result, no low-stress bicycle facilities are leading into downtown, and pedestrian accommodations remain limited.
A longstanding concern for pedestrian and bicycle safety has made this corridor a top priority for transformation into a "Calm Street." This initiative supports the city's vision of fostering a diverse, vibrant, and architecturally rich downtown neighborhood.
Project Objectives
Pedestrian and Traffic Calming Improvements:
• Bulb-outs at intersections and driveways – positions pedestrians in a more visible location to motorists and provides shorter crossing distance
• High-visibility continental style pavement markings and crosswalks
• New pedestrian push buttons, signal heads, and countdown timers
• Mid-block pedestrian refuge at City Hall
• ADA-compliant curb ramps
• Southbound lane reduction
Bicycle Facility Upgrades
• Protected 2-way cycle track with raised concrete medians
• High visibility green pavement
• Continental markings at intersections
• Solid green markings at intersection approaches
• Barrier over Mill Creek Railyard to separate bicyclists from motor vehicles
Project Budget
The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant, East West Gateway, and the City of Saint Louis.
• Preliminary Engineering/Planning/Environmental Studies:
o Total Cost: $130,000
Federal Funds: $104,000
Local Funds: $26,000
• Right of Way (ROW)
o Total Cost: $0
Federal Funds: $0
Local Funds: $0
• Construction/ Engineering
o Total Cost: $72,000
Federal Funds: $57,600
Local Funds: $14,400
• Construction/Implementation
o Total Cost: $1,198,000
Federal Funds: $958,400
Local Funds: $239,600
• Total Cost: $1,400,000
o Federal Funds: $1,120,000
o Local Funds: $280,000
Project Schedule
• Engineering Services Contract Submitted and Approved: April September 2021-October 2021
• Public Meeting/Hearing: August 2022
• Submit and Receive Approval for Proceed for Right of Way Acquisition (A-Date):
• District Approval of Plans, Specifications, and Estimates (PS&E) advertise for bids: October 2022-January 2023
• Project Implementation/Construction: May 2023-December 2023
Project Location
Eastern St. Louis, Missouri