A decade in the making, the proposal would link downtown to the Mississippi with new parks, transit and a redesigned approach to the national monument.
St. Louis officials on Friday unveiled the most ambitious redesign of the city's riverfront in a generation, presenting a phased plan that would link the downtown grid to the Mississippi with new parks, transit corridors and a redesigned public approach to the Gateway Arch.
The proposal — a decade in the making and developed jointly with the National Park Service — would cap a stretch of Interstate 70 with green space, restore the historic cobblestone levee and add a riverfront promenade running from Laclede's Landing to the Soulard neighborhood.
Mayor's office officials said the first phase, focused on the Arch grounds and the I-70 cap, would break ground in 2027 if state and federal funding commitments hold. Estimated total cost across all three phases is $1.2 billion.
Park Service representatives praised the design, calling it the natural next chapter after the 2018 grounds renovation. Some downtown business owners, however, raised concerns about construction-period traffic and called for stronger guarantees on small-business support.
The Missouri Dispatch will continue covering the riverfront plan as the city begins formal public review and as funding decisions move through Jefferson City and Washington in the coming months.
The compromise restores funding for rural broadband and shifts hundreds of millions toward public schools and infrastructure.
The long-awaited southern extension adds sixteen stops and is projected to carry more than 8,000 daily riders by year’s end.
Producers across the state say tariffs and weather volatility are reshaping decisions from seed selection to equipment purchases.
