Steve Patterson
Recent Posts
A Detailed Look at the Old & New Luther Ely Smith Square
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Following the Arch’s 50th Anniversary on October 28th I posted that the Luther Ely Smith Square Flagpole Will Replace Flag on Top of Old Courthouse Dome. At the time the newly redesigned Luther Ely Smith Square wasn’t open yet. Late last month it opened. Before taking a look at the new ...
Creative Firms Continue Buying Downtown Office Condo Space
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Industrial design firm fredsparks is moving downtown from S. Kingshighway, the news of their purchase of an office condo came in April: On April 15th, 2015, design firm fredsparks acquired the last remaining commerical unit comprised of 3,823 SQ FT for $26/SQ FT. The unit is currently in gray-box condition as one ...
Reduced Fare Smart Card For Chicago, Still Waiting On St. Louis
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Metro St. Louis is busy working on smart cards for paying transit fares, some have been testing the new technology. Meanwhile, we’ve been using the Ventra smart card for nearly 2 years when visiting Chicago. See Contactless Transit Smart Cards from February 2014. Last month I finally decided to apply for a reduced ...
The St. Louis Region Should’ve Planned For Commuter Rail a Century Ago
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In thinking about transit in other regions compared to ours, it is clear to me that natural geography and historic development patterns play a role in transportation planning in the 21st century. Decisions made a century ago, good & bad, still affect us today. One hundred years ago St. Louis ...
Loop Trolley Cannot Use Two Existing Cars Owned For a Decade, Seeking Bids To Restore A Different Type
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Construction of the 2,2 mile Loop Trolley continues, the track work in most of the Western portion was largely completed by November 10th. The issue of what vehicle will operate on them, however, remains an issue. A decade ago Citizens for Modern Transit restored two vintage cars, which sat outside along ...
Cincinnati’s Modern Streetcar
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Last month I visited Cleveland to check out the best Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route in the country, see Cleveland’s Healthline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Part 4. Earlier this month I was back in Ohio, this time in Cincinnati. During my 3-day visit for a Streetsblog meeting we checked out the ...
Macklind Ave Is An Inaccesible, Incomplete Street
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At the start of this month I had an appointment with an orthopedic specialist, to get a cast made for a new ankle-foot orthosis (AFO). Orthotic & Prosthetic Design is located at 5467 Highland Park Drive, off of Macklind Ave. between Manchester & Oakland. I’d been there before, usually driving. ...
Cleveland’s Healthline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Part 4
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This is my final part on Cleveland’s Healthline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). However, donations to offset the cost are still accepted here. Earlier posts: Part 1 introduction Part 2 Why 76/100 score? Part 3 Streetscape & ADA One of the articles that got me seriously looking at BRT was from ...
Cleveland’s Healthline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Part 3
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In Part 1 I introduced you the best Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in America — Cleveland’s Heathline BRT, in Part 2 I looked at where it missed points in international rankings, scoring 76/100. Today I want to look at areas where it should’ve scored lower: pedestrian streetscape, & wheelchair access. ...
Cleveland’s Healthline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Part 2
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Last week I introduced you to transit in Cleveland. including their Heathline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), see Cleveland’s Healthline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Part 1. In summary, they had long planned street-running light rail (LRT) on their most important East-West corridor — Euclid Avenue. RTA originally conceived the project in ...
Cleveland’s Healthline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Part 1
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I’m back from my brief Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) research trip in Cleveland. I’m still processing the experience so today I want to introduce their transit system, the Healthline BRT in particular. BRT is an innovative, high capacity, lower cost public transit solution that can significantly improve urban mobility. This ...
Bus Rapid Transit Research Trip, Funding Assistance Still Needed
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Later this week I’ll arrive in Cleveland — my first time in that city — I think. My 2006 bus trip to Toronto may have routed through Cleveland. I do know I’ve never explored the city. My purpose for visiting it to ride their Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines — the ...