Like many residents, I'm concerned about crime in our neighborhood. I've had several conversations with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department about specific recent crimes and what measures we can take to improve safety.  The following actions are in progress. 

• Bright LED street lights will be installed along Arsenal and in the first block off of the Morgan Ford Business District within the next week. 

• The Tower Grove South Neighborhood Association has a safety committee that meets monthly to discuss approaches to public safety and what we can all do in our community.
   
• Two weeks ago, the TGSNA hosted a town hall forum on public safety to get resident input and feedback on initiatives they would like to see happen. A survey was also disseminated about a month ago. 

Information from meetings and surveys will contribute to for a plan of action at both the neighborhood level and at City Hall. I'll have more information about that and year-to-year crime stats in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I hope you'll continue to get to know your neighbors in order to share information and look out for each other--and let's please remember to turn on our porch lights after dark.

When the ramp closes, drivers will not be able to access eastbound I-44 from Grand from either direction. Instead, use Chouteau and Jefferson, or Gravois and Jefferson as a detour.

Drivers will still be able to turn right from southbound Grand to westbound I-44, and will be able to turn left from the ramp from eastbound I-44 at Detonty to northbound Grand. Trucks and buses should continue to avoid the area due to the tight left turn.

Since left turns from northbound Grand are still restricted, drivers on northbound Grand should continue to use Chouteau and Vandeventer, or Jefferson, to get onto westbound I-44.

Gustine Repairs Now Set for September

As you may recall, repairs to Gustine were originally to begin in early summer. The schedule had to be pushed back due to other street projects, as well as the disruptive storms in late July. The Streets Department does intend to go forward later this month with much-needed repaving, curb and crosswalk improvements. I will let know as soon as I get a start-date and more details!

Resolution to Protect Missouri's Water

The Missouri River is the source of nearly all of our drinking water in St. Louis, and for about half of Missouri. Due to the river's tremendous importance, Alderwoman Christine Ingrassia and I are introducing a resolution in opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline. 

The pipeline would carry an estimated 470,000 barrels of fracked crude oil per day over 1,100 miles from the Bakken Oil Fields of North Dakota to Illinois, crossing more than two hundred tributaries of the Missouri River. We're concerned because we've seen other communities grapple with heartbreaking and expensive disasters following pipeline breaks. 

With this resolution, we stand with the Standing Rock Sioux, farmers, scientists, more than 30 environmental advocacy groups and tribal nations because we know actions upstream can have significant impacts downstream. It's in the best interests of all St. Louisans to protect our environment and primary source of drinking water.