A Vision of a Greater GravoisBy Matthew Brown, St. Louis City resident, daily bicycle commuter, and CyclingSavvy Traffic Cycling Instructor http://streetmix.net/hisgreenlife/undefined/gravois-remix I attended the July Greater Gravois meeting, and developed this vision for remaking this iconic St. Louis street to better serve the needs of all users of the corridor without compromising actual safety for the sake of perceived safety. I like the visual above, but in reality I expect there would be extra space between the curbs in some places with this measurement, so we'd use the leftover 8' to add chicanes to meander the street slightly more than it currently does. The chicane spaces would be used for bus shelters, pocket parks, street trees, and pedestrian lighting, bike parking, wayfinding signs, etc. There would also be tree-planted small pocket park islands where the center turn lane is not needed. These features add to the enjoyment, usability, and safety of using the street as a pedestrian and will support increased activityand patronage of businesses along Gravois. In this plan we would also take the following steps: 1)Reduce the speed limits to 30mph, and time the signals (as in Maplewood) for a 30mph flow. Drivers would be stopped by red lights if they try to go faster. 2)Add piano striped crosswalks to all intersections, add curb cuts for both directions at each corner, and add pedestrian signal buttons. 3)Reduce the transit time of motor vehicles bya)timing lights andb)adding sensors for vehicles (autos and bikes) to eliminate unnecessary light phases. 4)Evaluate spacing of bus stops and consider consolidating some stops to make bus transit more time efficient. 5)Add dark sky pedestrian lighting to illuminate the sidewalks and reduce light pollution.6)Add public lockers for bike and bus commuters to park their things as they patronize the businesses along Gravois. This design preserves the essential function of Gravois as an arterial for auto and bike drivers, while improving the pedestrian and bike friendly aspects of the streets. It preserves the arterial space for bicyclists to safely operate at high speeds. Safe higher speed options are necessary for a viable bike transit network in our sprawling Midwest metropolis. Multiple lanes each direction allow both slower traffic and faster traffic to reach destinations efficiently. It reduces the dangers of the most common bike-car collisions (drive-outs, right-hooks, and left-hooks) by improving the visibility and vantage of bike drivers along this street with its many driveways, parking lot entrances, and connecting streets. It reduces falls, the most common bike accident, and doorings (a frequently fatal accident) by encouraging proper lane positioning (sharrows) and taking advantage of the sweeping effect of motor vehicle tires to ensure the shared lane stays clear of debris. The 25 year vision of this approach is a St. Louis where getting around by bus and bike is a viable transportation choice, even for more distant destinations. People can get to their destinations efficiently regardless of their choice of car, bike, or bus. Green space and person-scale designs are ubiquitous. Dark sky lighting is used throughout the city, and urbanites can see a stunning view of the stars every clear night. The urban arterials like the new Gravois are supported by a network of bike boulevards similar to those in Portland, OR and a number of cities in California. They use infrastructure like mini-roundabouts, speed tables, and traffic diversions, and were fully planned in partnership with the EMS service to avoid impairing access. The city has flourished as the benefits of living in the increasingly bikeable, walkable, and transit friendly urban core attract more residents, businesses, and visitors.