The Poplar St Bridge is the only bridge that carries three interstates across the Mississippi. The new I-70 bridge currently under construction was proposed to reduce the bottle neck effect of the Poplar St Bridge. Thats great news for travelers but the real winner is the city of St Louis which will finally be reconnected with the Arch and riverfront. Depending on the success of the new bridge, St Louis may want to give I-55 its own river crossing farther south. Here is what the highways in St. Louis look like today:
This system was designed with commuters, not neighborhoods or the city, in mind. Despite this focus on motorists, they face frustration with the single bridge crossing. The interstates act like moats that divide the neighborhood fabric that previously existed. By building a new bridge for I-55 and connecting I-44 to I-64, the city can regain much of the land it lost to the interstates and repair the damage done to its neighborhoods. Here is what I hope the highways in St. Louis will one day look like:
