St. Louis
St. Louis Inset from the 1961 Missouri Official Highway Map. - 05/04/2012
The Gateway Arch was completed in 1965 as the signature piece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial along the Mississippi River. Standing at 630 feet tall, the Gateway to the West is the tallest man made monument in the United States. A tram provides tourists access with an observation deck at the apex of the arch. - 06/01/2011
Gateway Mall stretches west between Market Street (historic U.S. 40) and Chestnut Street from Luther Ely Smith Square. The linear park stretches west to Union Station at 20th Street. The CityArchRiver 2015 project added a lid above the below grade section of Interstate 44 to seamlessly join the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial grounds with Gateway Mall. - 06/01/2011
Busch Stadium lies on the south side of Downtown adjacent to the double decker freeway along I-64/U.S. 40. Regular season baseball kicked off for the St. Louis Cardinals at the ball park on April 10, 2006. - 06/01/2011
Eads Bridge
The Eads Bridge was the first span built across the Mississippi River. Designed by James Buchanan Eads in 1867, the ribbed steel arch bridge was constructed between 1868 and 1874.2 The double decked crossing was dedicated on July 4. The top deck included pedestrian walkways and a vehicular roadway, including two street car lines, while the lower deck supported two railroad tracks. Trolley tracks were removed from the upper deck in 1942 and the entire deck replaced in 1947.1 Train service (AMTRAK) halted across the Eads Bridge in 1974, leading to the removal of the tracks from the lower deck.2
The Eads Bridge closed on December 15, 1991 for the construction of the MetroLink station on the Missouri side of the span. It was planned to reopen around July 1, 1992 after completion of the lower rail deck3 but structural concerns over the safety of the bridge kept the bridge closed to vehicles. The top deck was removed for the addition of MetroLink on the lower deck, which began service in July 31, 1993. A new deck was later added, leading to the bridge reopening to pedestrians and bicyclists on July 4, 2003 and to vehicular traffic on July 7.4
Downtown St. Louis Streets
A trailblazer posted for Interstate 70 west along N 4th Street at Olive Street. Motorists were directed along 4th Street to N Broadway and the entrance ramp to I-70 west, which became I-44 east.
06/01/11
Truss arm supported traffic lights at a short segment of Locust Street linking a parking garage with N 4th Street.
06/01/11
Washington Avenue leads east from N 4th Street and Downtown directly onto the Eads Bridge to East St. Louis, Illinois
06/01/11
A unique trailblazer for I-44-55-70 directed motorists north along 9th Street at Clark Avenue one block to Walnut Street. Busch Stadium lies one block to the east.
05/04/12
Trailblazers for I-64/U.S. 40 accompanied the shield for I-44-55-70 on 9th Street north at Walnut Street east.
05/04/12
10th Street flows south from Market Street (former U.S. 40) to Walnut Street east. Walnut Street east from Downtown provided access to Memorial Drive for its ramps to I-70 west and both the Poplar Street Bridge east and Interstates 44 west & 55 south. Ramps to both the PSB and I-70 west will be removed as part of the CityArchRiver 2015 project. Walnut Street east to Memorial Drive south will still connect with I-44 & 55 south though.
05/04/12
One block further south along 10th Street is a flyover ramp leading onto the I-64/U.S. 40 double decker freeway west to the St. Louis County suburbs.
05/04/12
Clark Avenue heads west from South 4th Street by Busch Stadium to St. Louis Union Station. Pictured here is the avenue westbound at South 11th Street, which flows north from an on-ramp of I-64/U.S. 40 east.
05/04/12
Tucker Boulevard intersects Clark Avenue west next as a multi-lane boulevard linking Downtown with Carr Square to the north and Peabody Darst Webber to the south.
05/04/12
A flyover ramp departs from Clark Avenue ahead of South 14th Street for I-64/U.S. 40 west to Midtown and Forest Park. The Scottrade Center, home of the NHL St. Louis Blues, resides on the northwest corner of 14th and Clark.
05/04/12
Market Street (old U.S. 40) proceeds east from the North South Distributor Freeway underpass to intersect 20th Street.
05/04/12
Passing by St. Louis Union Station and Aloe Plaza, Market Street intersects 18th Street.
05/04/12
A tree lined park separates Market Street from adjacent Chestnut Street to Tucker Boulevard. Pictured here is the angled intersection with North 17th Street.
05/04/12
16th Street leads south from Historic U.S. 40 to the St. Louis Gateway Transportation Center, which includes terminals for both AMTRAK and Greyhound.
05/04/12
15th Street flows north from a section of Walnut Street and the Scottrade Center across Market Street to Washington Avenue.
05/04/12
South from Market Street, 14th Street constitutes a four lane boulevard to Peabody Darst Webbe and north to Carr Square.
05/04/12
The Gateway Arch continues to frame the Old Court House along Market Street east. U.S. 40 followed Market Street east to Memorial Drive north to the Veterans Memorial Bridge (MLK Bridge) originally.
05/04/12
Tucker Boulevard was extended northward to the new Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge to provide a gateway into Downtown for travelers entering St. Louis from I-70. The boulevard links Downtown at St. Louis City Hall with LaSalle Park to the south.
05/04/12
11th Street carries drivers from I-64/U.S. 40 east north to Market Street.
05/04/12
10th Street flows south directly to the westbound on-ramp for the I-64/U.S. 40 double decker freeway to Downtown West and Midtown.
05/04/12
North 9th Street bisects Citygarden park between Market and Chestnut Streets.
05/04/12
South from Market Street (old U.S. 40), 8th Street travels to Busch Stadium (home of the St. Louis Cardinals) to 7th Street beyond the elevated I-64/U.S. 40.
05/04/12
Stadium Plaza splits from 8th Street by the site of old Busch Stadium to become 7th Street north to Kiener Plaza and the St. Louis Convention Center.
05/04/12
An on-ramp joins Memorial Drive north from the Poplar Street Bridge ahead of Walnut Street. Memorial Drive will no longer reach Market Street and instead default onto Walnut Street west at the Old Cathedral as part of the CityArchRiver 2015 redesign of area streets.
06/01/11
Trailblazers posted for all four St. Louis 2-digit Interstates precede the Memorial Drive north intersection with Market Street west. This stretch of Memorial Drive will be completely removed as part of the CityArchRiver 2015 project.
06/01/11
An Interstate 70 westbound trailblazer directed motorists to the on-ramp beyond Pine Street. That ramp will be removed as part of the CityArchRiver 2015 project as well. Memorial Drive north from Walnut Street to a new off-ramp to the Eads Bridge will be replaced by extended parkland of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.
06/01/11
The Gateway Arch lies directly east of Luther Ely Smith Square. The CityArchRiver 2015 includes the construction of a lid (Park Over the Highway) above the depressed freeway (Future I-44). This will enhance pedestrian access and greater blend the memorial grounds with Downtown.
06/01/11
Interstate 70 (Future I-44) west climbs from the depressed freeway next to the Arch onto a viaduct west of both the Eads and MLK Bridges. The on-ramp here will be replaced by a new off-ramp to Washington Avenue and the Eads Bridge.
06/01/11
Memorial Drive south at Pine Street. The CityArch2015 project will redesign the southbound roadway into a single lane with on-street parking. The drive will default onto Pine Street west, which will begin here as the overpass to the left will be converted for pedestrian use.
06/01/11
Three lanes of Memorial Drive southbound at Walnut Street will be redesigned to carry two northbound lanes from Walnut Street east onto Market Street west as part of the CityArchRiver 2015 project.
06/01/11
Memorial Drive south partitions with the eastbound on-ramp to the Poplar Street Bridge. This ramp, and the one carrying the I-70 mainline from the adjacent depressed freeway onto the PSB, will be removed.
05/04/12
Memorial Drive intersects Spruce Street west to Busch Stadium before merging onto Interstates 44 west & 55 south to Kosciusko and Soulard.
05/04/12
Pine Street stems west from Memorial Drive south into Downtown.
06/01/11
Pine Street west at 4th Street in the St. Louis central business district.
06/01/11
Walnut Street leaves the Busch Stadium area from Broadway two blocks east to Memorial Drive. An on-ramp to be removed currently grants access to Interstates 55 north & 64-70 and U.S. 40 east from Memorial just south of Walnut.
05/04/12
The right two lanes of Walnut Street turn onto Memorial Drive south above the depressed section of I-70. The adjacent on-ramp combines with the Poplar Street Bridge ramp carrying the I-70 mainline to East St. Louis, Illinois.
05/04/12
Walnut Street east at Memorial Drive south. Beyond Spruce Street, Memorial Drive defaults onto Interstates 44 west & 55 south. Memorial Drive north sees an on-ramp to I-70 west (Future I-44 east) three blocks to the north. This ramp is to be removed in 2014.
05/04/12
Exiting the Gateway Arch parking garage at 1st Street North, a four-pack of shields direct motorists onto Washington Avenue east to Leonor J. Sullivan Boulevard along the St. Louis Riverfront.
06/01/11
Washington Avenue west from the Gateway Arch parking garbage rose to intersect Memorial Drive below the I-70 viaduct. Washington Avenue adjacent to the Eads Bridge will be made one way eastbound during the CityArchRiver 2015 project.
06/01/11
An older shield assembly directed motorists onto Memorial Drive south for Interstates 44-55-70. Shields featuring all three routes on one marker were commonly used in Downtown.
06/01/11
Washington Avenue east exits Downtown St. Louis to become the Eads Bridge east into East St. Louis, Illinois. Trailblazers directed motorists onto Memorial Drive south for the Poplar Street Bridge and Interstates 44-55-64-70 & U.S. 40.
06/01/11
References:
- Bridge, Eads. St. Louis Historic Preservation web site.
- Eads Bridge. Bridgehunter.com
- "Closing Of Eads Bridge Poses Challenge." St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), December 16, 1991.
- "A Bridge to Fair." St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), July 3, 2003.
Photo Credits:
- AARoads: 06/01/11
- ABRoads: 05/04/12
Page Updated Thursday November 21, 2013.