There are many cheaper solutions that can be considered to better connect the gateway mall to the gateway arch. If you look at the design areas in detail, scroll down here,
http://www.scribd.com/doc/21520893/Jefferson-National-Expansion-Memorial-General-Mangement-Plan-Redevelopment-Alternatives-Tables-and-Images

You’ll see that the main design area were’re talking about is confined to the highway border along the arch grounds.

Up there at the northern corner though there’s a real problem. The road elevates east to go across the eads bridge and elevates north to form a raised highway that creates an pretty long and unworkable barrier through the northern half of the city. We concerned citizens, think that should go too, though it is’t in the cards for the competition.
You can see an image of it on wikipedia here,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_70_in_Missouri#St._Louis
There’s a great unused dead space under the road. If we keep the highway for several more decades, then we’ll have to do something with that space. The roof is there, I think we could build some walls and put a street scape on either side, but then again… that takes rezoning, initative, and money. We only have so much political capital, removal is our goal.

http://www.columbus.in.us/listings/index.cfm?action=showSub&catID=336&subcatID=2925&startrange=All&endrange=All&substart=M&subend=S&notify=1

and scroll down to “Front Door Bridge” and “Second Street Bridge”. Postcard images.

Rather than bare bones, functional structures, the Arch bridges could become THE postcard image of the re-energized downtown waterfront district initiative and a fine complement to the amazing Arch and redesigned grounds.

but click around here to see more
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanishingstl/3297676084/in/set-72157614259016816/

I agree with Michael as well. This competition is 95% about a highway in local hearts and minds.

Aaron Renn,

I read your post on the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial competition, and have many thoughts that follow. One that perhaps is not on the design competition radar screen just yet is that the competition affords St. Louis the chance to deal with the depressed and elevated section of I-70 that severs the Arch grounds from downtown. A new river bridge carrying I-70 opens in 2016, and the depressed and elevated lanes will be downgraded to “470″ or somesuch through-way connector designation. Cross-country traffic won’t need the lanes. Locals never really did.

The timing of the competition hinges on completion of major improvements by the 50th anniversary of the Arch date. That hopefully would not forestall an idea that could be as radical as removal of what will become, just a year after the anniversary, redundant infrastructure. We in St. Louis’ urbanist community certainly hope that more than one entry in the competition either removes the highway section or reconciles it with the urban fabric. As it stands, it’s the worst design problem facing the Arch grounds. I like to say that the Arch grounds is one of the nation’s most cohesive urban landscapes surounded by some of the nation’s worst highway infrastructure.

This shouldn’t just be for the MO side; I would like to see major improvements and new connections on the east side as well. When the eads bridge touches down in East STL, it should be reworked (maybe along the metrolink line) to better turn into Collinsville Ave. Just an idea, but maybe small things like this, although they wouldn’t be the cover story in LA magazine or anything, are more likely to spark subtle subconscious shifts in the way we experience our cities. I love seeing the grain elevator and wish the casino wasn’t there (I hate seeing old aerials of even just 20 years ago and seeing how much its footprint has exploded recently). Lastly maybe they could have a trail that circles all of the expanded grounds (both sides of the river) running through the current arch grounds, on the eads bridge, along the riverfront,rail line or 64 on the IL side, and then back over on the Mac Arthur bridge. Just about 5 miles or so with some amazing views.

I could go on, the competition is a great opportunity for the region and I hope the final design helps residents of the area as much as it does visitors.

I’ll quote a local blogger (http://exquisitestruggle.blogspot.com/),
“St. Louis is both North and South, epitomizes the libertarianism of the Frontier Thesis with the dependance of a rust-belt city, remains illogically smug while nursing an incredible inferiority complex, celebrates parochiality while striving for Chicago’s urban might, mourns its extinct industrial heritage while actively suppressing that which is left, and fears change while being ignorant to its past potential. All told these unnerving dichotomies have resulted in confusion, weak leadership, and the wanton disregard and destruction of a city immensely more valuable than we appreciate.”

To put the arch competition is the proper context though, the park its in is essentially a rectangle cut off from the rest of the city.
To the south is a massive highway interchange where three highways converge on a single bridge.
To the west is I-70, which will soon be rerouted across the river by a bridge many blocks north.
To the north there is a massive parking garage.
To the east, there’s the river but just the river. Its like the steps go down to cobble stones and then the water. There’s nothing to really do there. … well a few riverboats linger about. There’s been talk of filling up barges with dirt and having connectable floating park spaces out there in the water. Very interesting.

On the other side of the river is East St. Louis: the Windsor of our Detroit. They have the best view of us, and from the arch, they’re what we are forced to look at.
They’ve got a giant parking lot and industrial site, which the competition isn’t going to touch. ( There’s also a large haphazardly planned park that has been donated to the park service. most powerful fountain in the world, and ugliest observation platform (brand new!). Full map of the planned site here,
http://stlelsewhere.blogspot.com/2009/12/cityarchrivercompetition-what-this-blog.html

The local favorite is to remove the section of I-70 and build an at-grade boulevard, simple and easy. Alternately there’s the possibility of a lid over the depressed section of the highway, that has been called for for a very long time. Or we may divert a road, but the most important thing is for the arch to connect to downtown. Currently the arch grounds is an island.

CityGarden, is very much a part of this competition. It’s on the gateway mall, which leads to Kiener Plaza and the old courthouse, which are part of the competition.