Residents who have long championed a more walkable and bike-friendly St. Louis are expressing their discontent over the city’s choice to eliminate several bumpouts at intersections in the downtown area.
Bumpouts are traffic-calming features that extend into the street to help slow down vehicles at intersections and offer some protection for pedestrians crossing the road. According to a spokesperson from City Hall, four bumpouts have been removed, with an additional one being considered for removal, all located in the same vicinity of downtown near Broadway and Market.
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Mayor Cara Spencer, an enthusiastic cyclist herself, stated that the specific bumpouts that were taken out were creating “massive choke points” during recent downtown events. “There were reports of people taking three hours or more to exit downtown,” she mentioned. At a press conference yesterday, Spencer highlighted that the drop-off circle at the nearby Hilton was “nearly impossible to navigate.”
While Spencer did not specify a particular downtown event, last weekend saw the Cardinals, Blues, and Battlehawks all hosting home games simultaneously. Prior to that, traffic congestion following the Zach Bryan concert at The Dome at America’s Center was significant enough to make KMOV’s news broadcast. Jon Kipper reported that attendees arrived late to the concert due to delays and faced hours of backup when trying to leave.
Julie Vomund from the Coalition to Protect Cyclists and Pedestrians expressed her dissatisfaction with the rationale behind the bumpouts’ removal. “We aim to create a more pleasant experience in downtown, a space where people can relax and enjoy their lives,” she stated. “If the goal is to rush them out as quickly as possible, that completely undermines that vision.”
Vomund is currently on a mission to walk every single block in the city. She began this endeavor in January 2024, recently reaching the halfway point and was exploring Walnut Park East the morning before her conversation with SLM. Her project coincided with the city’s initiative to use ARPA funds for the installation of traffic-calming infrastructure, which is a priority for Mayor Tishaura Jones’ administration. Vomund noted substantial improvements, particularly with new medians on major roads like Kingshighway, which have reduced the need for her to detour extensively to find traffic lights for crossing.
She added that this overall enhancement is disheartening when a relatively new piece of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure is removed.
A spokesperson from City Hall indicated that the total expenditure for the installation and removal of the downtown bumpouts amounted to $30,000.
Spencer acknowledged that the design of these particular traffic-calming measures predates her administration. “But I take responsibility for this,” she remarked. She further challenged downtown businesses and her Streets Department to ensure a “coordinated approach” that “makes sense.”
The City of St. Louis is not alone in facing challenges with traffic-calming measures that frustrate drivers. Last year, the Missouri Department of Transportation removed bumpouts on Clarkson Road in Chesterfield following complaints from residents.
