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Historical April–May 2003 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
The Times has learned that the work on the MetroLink line is going to require the closing of Skinker Boulevard for two to five months, beginning in fall 2003. Reliable sources (who cannot be identified) say that as planners began to investigate the sewer lines underneath and near the Forest Park Expressway, they found them to be in far much worse shape than expected.
As one engineer put it, “I’m surprised that they haven’t collapsed already.
When they were built, after all, no one anticipated the volume or weight of the traffic that would be passing over them each day. It’s a real safety hazard.” According to this and other sources, it turns out that the entire sewer line from Des Peres to past Big Bend will need to be replaced as well as the line that is under Skinker, from Delmar to Clayton.
The scope of the work means that Skinker will be closed for at least five months. For residents of Skinker-DeBaliviere, this could not come at a worse time.
The construction to narrow Delmar, reducing it from six to four lanes, adding sidewalks wide enough for curbside seating on each side of the street, will also begin this summer.
It is anticipated that the work on Delmar will continue through October. Of course, the Forest Park Expressway will also be closed at this time, due to the construction of the MetroLink line and, now, the work on the sewers. Entering and exiting the neighborhood will be problematic. Discussions were underway to remove the barriers at Des Peres and Delmar, but with the construction on Delmar, that probably will not provide much help. Michael L. Zimmer, the mayor’s transportation aide, stated that this is not due to any actions by the mayor. “It’s due to poor planning by MSD and MetroLink,” he noted, “the mayor is clueless about this.” Zimmer offered that with so many people working and buying from home through the Internet, this bottleneck may not be as serious as it sounds. “I mean,” he said, “people will need to plan when they leave home and regulate their trips, but you can do a lot on-line these days.” The Times contacted Carla Hafwitz, our neighborhood liaison.
She admitted that she knew about this problem. “But tell your readers not to worry,” she said, “I have a solution.” Her plan solves the Skinker closure problem by making all traffic on the 6100 block streets one-way, going east to Des Peres.
In this scenario, drivers will not be able to drive west from Des Peres to a 6100 block of Pershing, Waterman, McPherson, Kingsbury, Westminster, or Washington. “I know that this is a bit inconvenient,” she continued, “but there are discussions about making the Community Garden on 5900 McPherson a temporary parking lot so that residents of the 6100 blocks will have a place to park their cars if they can’t use the alleys to get to their garages.” If you’re reading this far, I hope you have guessed that this is the semi-annual April Fool’s edition of The Times and the article that you just read was really “In Your Ear,” by Hawkeye Z. Hoerr. Did I getcha? For all I know, the sewer lines may be in ideal condition.
There is no Michael Zimmer or Carla Hafwitz, and the two-way streets are just fine the way that they are.
But if you believe that the actual installation of MetroLink isn’t going to create a problem when it really does happen, well, I have some land in Florida that I’d like to sell you. Happy April Fool’s!
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, April–May 2003.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2003_04.pdf, printed page(s) 1; PDF page(s) 1.
