ST. LOUIS — A project to make St. Louis more pedestrian and bicyclist-friendly just got a big boost from federal funding.
The entire project is called the Brickline Greenway and this recent boost in funding will go to a segment of the project creating a bridge over the highway connecting the north and south sides of Midtown.
The U.S. Department Of Transportation has awarded nearly $10 million to Great Rivers Greenway to build a pedestrian and cyclist bridge that will go in between the east and westbound lanes of Interstate 64 in Midtown.
“This bridge will be the north-south, east-west connection of the Brick Line Greenway, allowing you to go from Fairground to Tower Grove, from Forest Park to the Arch, and hundreds of destinations in between,” Great Rivers Greenway CEO Susan Trautman said.
The bridge will connect Saint Louis University to the Grand Metrolink station as well as other segments of the larger $245 million Brickline Greenway project.
“Given our recent history with pedestrian access, we have thoughtfully designed this for safe pedestrian crossing. If you're a fast driver, this is going to cause you to slow down. We want everyone to enjoy their experience, and we want people to get out and be safe going to their destinations,” Trautman said.
Visitors will also be able to easily go between Midtown attractions like The Foundry and The Armory.
“It helps cement Midtown as the epicenter for the greater St. Louis area,” Anthony Matteo, Armory general manager, said.
It’s something Matteo said they’ve been looking forward to since opening 15 months ago.
“The greenway is awesome. It'll help us connect with The Foundry. We're 30 yards away from The Foundry, but it feels like we're forever away because of the walk. The greenway will provide easy access to two unique entertainment destinations in Midtown,” Matteo said.
They expect to start construction of the Midtown pedestrian bridge in 2027 and hope the entire 14-mile Brickline Greenway will be finished by 2030.