SEMissourian: Improvements to STL Arch Grounds kick off

The recent vote by St. Louis City & County residents for a small, new parks, recreation, and trails tax is paying off in a big way:

The $380 million project to upgrade the grounds of the Gateway Arch officially began Friday as two members of President Barack Obama's Cabinet helped break ground. 

Bicycle and Arch by Len Cabrera on Trailnet's FlickR site. License: Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Construction is expected to begin as early as this week on a key component of the project: a park that will sit atop a concrete and steel structure bridging Interstate 70. Rerouted roads, landscaping improvements and other work are part of the massive undertaking that officials hope to complete by Oct. 28, 2015 -- the 50th anniversary of the topping of the Arch. . . .

Since the Arch opened, its sprawling grounds have been separated from the rest of downtown St. Louis by Interstate 70. Pedestrians have to cross busy Memorial Drive on the overpass, which can be a dangerous and unappealing trek for tourists and residents alike. Civic leaders for years have been trying to find an answer to the problem. . . .

In addition to the new structure over I-70, the project includes plans a riverside plaza, amphitheater and a bird sanctuary. It also calls for redesign of Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard, which runs between the Arch and the Mississippi River. A new bike path, light towers, benches and guardrails will be added along the roadway and the street will be raised 2 1/2 feet to limit flooding.