St. Louis or Berlin? Construction of Interstate 70 in 1964.
Yesterday and today were days of celebration for many St. Louisans as re-construction of Highway 40 (Interstate 64) came to a close and the highway re-opened to uninterrupted traffic from 270 to Kingshighway for the first time in almost two years.
I couldn't help but think: Is the opening of a new highway really cause for celebration? Since their inception in the late 1930's, highways have reeked havoc on cities, requiring mass demolitions, dividing neighborhoods, ruining parks and more all in the name of getting from A to point B a little bit faster.
Construction of Interstate 70 (then also known as the Third Street Highway) cut off Downtown St. Louis from the Gateway Arch two years before its completion in 1966. To this day the highway remains a physical and psychological barrier as well as major source of noise pollution. Photos from UMSL's Western Historical Manuscript Collection.
Construction of Interstate 70 (then also known as the Third Street Highway) cut off Downtown St. Louis from the Gateway Arch two years before its completion in 1966. To this day the highway remains a physical and psychological barrier as well as major source of noise pollution. Photos from UMSL's Western Historical Manuscript Collection.
A relatively intact streetscape with buildings and park cars. This is Third Street in 1962, prior to the construction of the Interstate 70. All building in this photo with the exception of the Peabody Building (at center with the corner entrance) were demolished to make way for the Mansion House complex. Like Mansion House, most of the buildings in this row front Fourth street and turn their back to the Arch grounds and riverfront beyond. Can you blame them? Who would want their new building to front a noisy ugly highway?
Two years later in 1964, the interstate cuts a gash in the landscape cutting off everything from the yet to be completed Arch and grounds. Beyond the Peabody Building the Bel Air Hotel can be seen in the distance.
City interrupted - the Interstate 44-55 interchange in the mid 60's.
Construction of Interstate 44 and 55 destroyed block after block of fully intact South Side neighborhoods. Early plans for 44 even threatened Tower Grove Park by the highway's path. While the south edge of Forest Park was given a lobotomy, this treatment of Tower Grove would have completely destroyed the narrow park and would have devastated the adjacent neighborhoods.
Back to Highway 40, another casualty of the re-opening is transit demand. This morning as I got on the MetroLink train at Skinker to head Downtown I noticed that the crowd on the train was much lighter than normal. I was not completely surprised by this. There was a noticeable increase in Metro rider-ship last January when the east half of Highway 40 closed for the year, and since Metro made service cuts in March, it has been standing room only on the trains at least until the Central West End where many BJC workers exit. Has everyone gotten back in their cars to take the new Highway 40?
Maybe I am unusual, but when I made the decision several years ago to start riding Metro, it was one of the most liberating things I have ever experienced, leaving behind the traffic, dealing with other drivers on the road, parking garages, more frequent trips to the gas station and maintenance shops, etc. in exchange for some relaxing time to read a book. You can call me crazy if you want, but I actually liked standing on the train when is was packed with people. Somehow it made it feel like I was living in a real City.
12 comments:
excellent find. excellent post.
Interesting. I had never seen these photos.
I never understood why the Mansion House did not want to maximize views of the river and the Arch. Balconies built on the north and south sides seem like a terrible choice today.
Neat photos, Paul. In my opinion, the decision to run 70 where they did was one of the worst ever. Yet another way to help us forget that one of the world's great rivers is at our doorstep.
That overhead shot of the 44-55 interchange made me cry. Such a horrible, deadly gash in our city. My Mother (who lived nearby in Soulard) has often been heard to remark "those highways tore up our neighborhood."
The Berlin Wall was torn down to be rebuilt at 64 & 170. One couple from Berlin who moved in the area two years ago couldn't believe their eyes and moved back to Germany.
For hundreds of residents on the north side of the New 64 between Hanley & Brentwood (which got most of MoDOT's attention), requires walking or traveling 1.8 miles to travel 500 feet to the south in order to access Trader Joes, Dierbergs, Target or numerous other destinations.
This once walkable area now requires more trips by motorized vehicles. The one and only pedestrian bridge over 170 was also permanently removed.
Paul -
You should work those images into the C2R powerpoint presentation.
Rick
Great post, I love the pictures. I kept thinking that last night, during the STL County Council meeting, that we don't pay enough attention to our own sense of history. That 60 years ago highways were the great experiment, the leap in investment. And now we have them and they are overcrowded, unsightly, and utilitarian...but not the final word in transportation.
Wherever I live, work and play, I pay a lot of attention to the ability to walk, bike and take transit as much as possible. I'm very much glad to see other people speaking publicly about their priorities as well.
Again, great photos. Whenever I read that people wanted to tear up even more of Soulard, South City, Tower Grove, etc. for the highways, I want to scream. Could you imagine what we would have lost? Who would we be today?
Do you think these images would have any kind of copyright on them? I'd post them on wikipedia, but they claim historical photographs should be 100+...
With the new 70 bridge do we even need the highway between the arch and i-64? Just wondering if anyone has given consideration to removing it along with the new bridge plans... It would seem to me 70/55 south interchanges could be delt with in Illinois along with new bridge intersections etc. 44 could be delt with the same...?
Oops.. I ment between the arch and downtown...
Actually, I am part of a group called City to River which formed to look at issues of improving connectivity between Downtown, the Arch and Riverfront. The one major concept that we have been promoting is to remove the interstate depressed and elevated lanes and replace the highway with an grade level urban boulevard along the area that is now Memorial Drive.
We hope to have a website up in the next few weeks.
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