St. Louis County is proceeding (agenda item # 28) with the takeover of Conway Road in response to Westwood’s insane idea of jamming up alternate traffic routes during I-64 construction for a million other county residents, in order to benefit 284. Westwood village chairman Frederick Berger is quoted in the Post-Dispatch:
"I continue to think the county does not have the right to take over Conway Road," Berger said.
If this was just a politician grandstanding, that would be one thing. But he also serves as the village attorney, and as such is supposed to know the law. And that law, again according to the Post:
"County code and state law authorize the council to designate any road within St. Louis County as part of its arterial road system, regardless of city boundaries or opposition."
So he is completely wrong. End of argument. The article goes on to describe how other cities (Ladue, Frontenac, Creve Couer) objected to earlier county road takeover plans to handle I-64 construction and were able to come to an agreement with the county without a takeover. That is true, but what is left out is that the county got everything it wanted from the munis as part of those discussions. The threat to just take over the road and do whatever the county wants is very real, and there is no realistic municipality counter.
Westwood should drop this selfish idea of putting up gates during construction to screw everyone else. Then, and only then, should the county drop its takeover plans. I live in U. City. During MetroLink construction, we lost the use of the Forest Park Parkway for three years. Everyone has to sacrifice a little during these major construction projects. It is a part of democracy, and also just basic decency.
