South Broadway Cycle Track

Background

The City of St. Louis and Great Rivers Greenway maintain a Bike Network Plan and a Greenways Plan. The South Broadway Project Area is highlighted in both those plans as a key north - south connection which should have an upgraded bikeway, and eventually become part of the Great Rivers Greenway network. In late 2021 the City of St. Louis was awarded funding via East-West Gateway through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program (CMAQ) to construct an upgraded bike facility, as well as related road and sidewalk improvements, on approximately 2.1 miles of South Broadway between River City Casino Blvd. and Dover Street. The project will create a key connection between the existing River Des Peres and South Mississippi River Greenways, Sister Marie Charles and Bellerive Parks, and other amenities along the South Broadway Commercial District. The project is currently in design with construction anticipated sometime in third/fourth quarter 2024. When built, the project will include a "cycle-track" (a two-way bike lane on the east side of the street) roadway and traffic calming safety enhancements, pavement improvements, and ADA sidewalk upgrades. 

Project Objectives

- Create a safe, protected bikeway between River City Casino Blvd. and Dover Street/Bellerive Park
- Improve pavement conditions and repave older pavement sections on South Broadway
- Improve traffic safety by reduced excessive vehicle speeds in the corridor
- Improve accessibility and safety for pedestrians
- Update pavement markings including crosswalks
- Allow more residents to use the corridor to connect to nearby amenities

Project Status

The project is currently being designed. Construction is anticipated for the summer of 2024. 

Public Input

Public Meeting and Materials

Date: Monday, November 6th, 2023, 4:00 - 7:00 PM
Location: Carondelet Library, 6800 Michigan Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63111
Meeting Materials:
     1. Display Boards Showing Conceptual Design
     2. South Broadway Traffic Study

Public Meeting Feedback and Follow Up

The City has developed the following frequently asked questions in response to commentary received at the public meeting.

- How will this affect motor vehicle speeds? Will this slow drivers down?
Wider roadways contribute to vehicles speeding. Visually narrowing the road and limiting the opportunities for drivers to (illegally) pass vehicles in the turning or parking lanes affects vehicle behavior and will reduce vehicles exceeding the speed limit.

- Will motorcycles use the cycle track?
There will be signage / markings that indicate the cycle track is for bicycles only. If it is found that motorcycles travel in the cycle track enforcement may be required.

- How will this project affect parking along South Broadway?
On the west side of the street, on-street parking will be largely unchanged. On the east side of the street (the side with the new cycle-track) on-street parking will still be available through most of the corridor, but rather than adjacent to the curb, it will be adjacent to the cycle-track. The cycle-track will be between the existing sidewalk and the on-street parking area.

- What kind of barrier will separate the cycle track?
A combination of physical barriers will be installed between the on-street parking area and the cycle track; however, the exact types are being determined.

- How will businesses be affected? Will semi-trucks and other large equipment still be able to navigate the road and enter into industrial businesses along South Broadway?
All existing driveway aprons (curb cuts) will be unaffected. Semi-trucks, commercial and emergency vehicle turning movements were incorporated and accommodated in the design.

- What beautification efforts will occur because of this project?
The funding for this project is limited to transportation and sidewalk elements, but ward capital will continue to fund street tree planting and other beautification efforts along the street and in the surrounding neighborhood.

 - Does this project have enough funding to complete construction?
All estimated project funds have been identified and secured for Engineering and Construction.  Sources include a Federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) Grant as well as City Ward Capital funds. The exact cost will not be known until the project is competitively bid (as early as Summer 2024).

- How does this connect to the other bike infrastructure?
This project will directly connect to the River Des Peres Greenway on the far southern end, and to the trail segment at Bellerive Park and Sister Marie Charles Park at the northern end. The project area was identified in Great Rivers Greenway (GRG) long range planning as a component of the Mississippi River Greenway, which would be on-street in this segment.

- Who maintains this if any infrastructure is damaged?
All infrastructure within the public right of way is the responsibility of the City of St. Louis.

- What studies were completed to ensure the safety of this project? What were the results of those studies?
The South Broadway Traffic Study (linked on this website) addresses the existing conditions and anticipated results. The traffic study looked at speed data, daily vehicle counts and traffic conveyance, visibility limitations at intersections, typical intersection turning movements, and crash data.

- What data is used to make decisions about roads that could benefit from "road diets" and other traffic calming mechanisms?
The City of St. Louis will assess most corridors for potential “road diets” (aka lane reductions) prior to significant investment or resurfacing. Traffic volumes and crash history are key elements of the assessment of any corridor for a road diet. National data and studies by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) show road diets frequently result in fewer crashes and less severe crashes than the same roadways before road diet implementation. Road diets are one of the FHWA’s “proven safety countermeasures” for improving safety outcomes for all users. A traffic engineering assessment is made to determine if the volume on a roadway is low enough to consider a road diet. In recent years the vehicular volume on South Broadway has been between 6,000 and 7,000 vehicles per day, well within the threshold to consider a road diet. Other safety enhancements which are components of the South Broadway project include improvements to pavement condition, improved high visibility pavement markings, the addition of a bike facility, and sidewalk accessibility improvements.

- What is the crash data along South Broadway? How would this proposed project help reduce crashes? 
Crash data was collected as part of the 2020 South Broadway Traffic Study (linked on this website). Many features of this project are expected to have traffic calming effects and safety improvements. These include improved pavement markings, improved pavement conditions, and reduced effective roadway width.

- Where did funding come from for this project?
Sources include a Federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) Grant awarded by East-West Gateway as well as City Ward Capital funds.

- Why was South Broadway chosen for this project?
Great Rivers Greenway identified South Broadway as an on-street route for the Mississippi River Greenway in 2011, leading the City of St. Louis to consider improved bike facilities in the corridor. Former 11th Ward Alderwoman Sarah Martin initiated the South Broadway Traffic Study in 2019 to evaluate traffic operations and safety, and to develop strategies to calm traffic and promote a more welcoming environment for all users and modes of travel within the corridor. Results of that study lead to a CMAQ grant application (mentioned above). 

- Was public transportation - both current use and future expansion - taken into account when designing this project?
Yes, Bi-State / Metro, the primary public transportation agency, was engaged in the study and design phases. 

- Were speed humps considered?
South Broadway is classified as a minor arterial and has a speed limit of 35 mph. Speed humps are not allowed on streets with these characteristics. 

- Who will clean the cycle track if debris is collected?
The cycle track is being designed to be a minimum of 10 feet wide. This will allow the City streetsweeper to maintain their current cleaning schedule.

- Why is it important to build infrastructure for transportation besides cars?
The City has a responsibility to make the public right of way safe and accessible to all persons, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists. Approximately one in five St. Louis households does not own a vehicle. Cyclists have both a right and a legal requirement to use the road, as cycling is not permitted on City sidewalks. Providing dedicated and protected bike lanes is the safest way for bicycles and vehicles to share the limited roadway space. Furthermore, bicycles do not contribute to the deterioration of the roadway or pollute our air. Pavement damage caused by road users is overwhelmingly attributed to larger trucks and other vehicles weighing more than 10,000 lbs/axle. And, because much of the funding from this project comes from a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant, it is paramount that the project allows for less dependence on fossil fuels. 

Project Schedule

Grant Award Announced: October 2021
Design / Engineering: November 2022 - January 2024
Public Engagement: Fall 2023
Construction Start: Summer 2024

Contact

Scott Ogilvie
Program Manager - Complete Streets
Planning & Urban Design Agency
City of St. Louis
1520 Market Street, Suite 2000
St. Louis, MO 63103