Forest Park is a gathering place for St. Louisans and their guests, an urban park that is the home to the attractions, events, and activities that reflect the interests, culture, and history of the area. It is home to many of the region’s finest cultural institutions, and it is a center of recreational activity for those who live nearby. As the neighborhoods and institutions that surround Forest Park thrive and the institutions within it expand, access to and within the park has become strained. Despite operation of multiple trolley, shuttle, and bus lines providing access to the park, circulation throughout the park and adjacent places relies primarily on the use of personal automobiles, which compounds congestion, creates numerous conflicts with pedestrians and bicyclists, and generates parking problems and queuing for parking, particularly during special events.
Nelson\Nygaard, as part of a larger project team, engaged in the Forest Park Great Streets Study to improve multimodal access to the park and its many institutions. The team created a prioritized implementation plan integrating past masterplan recommendations around an updated set of goals. As part of this, complete street designs for key corridors within and around the park will enhance safety and appeal for all visitors.