Transportation & Growth Management Plan

Madison County i55 Corridor 7.1 Introduction key roles in the quality of jobs attracted, and vice A High Capacity Regional Cross-Road: The versa. convergence of I-55 and I-70 at the present fringe of As outlined in Chapter 1, the Growth Management metropolitan area development presents an obvious Plan is a fusion of proven traditional design prin- The real objective of economic development should opportunity. Add to this the prospect of an Illinois ciples, smart growth planning and new urbanism be to attract and retain the highest possible quality “outer belt” highway that is planned to connect the combined with economic development planning. The jobs and to attract public and private investments I-255/Illinois Route 3 interchange at the Jefferson initiation of this plan is required to recognize two of that contribute to the wealth of residents, employers, Barracks Bridge over the Mississippi River to the I- the primary goals for this project; 1.) Research and and employees. The economic development strategy 70/U.S.40 interchange in the study area (the planned document the development opportunities that exist goals are as follows: extension and improvement if Illinois Route 158), in the region that will allow for the economic base • Build a high quality community plus the possibility of a future MetroLink corridor of the community to be expanded by utilizing the • Take maximum economic advantage of the passing nearby, and the I-55 corridor clearly has an I-55 corridor, and 2.) Develop a land use framework locational attributes of the I-55 Corridor in inherent locational advantage unmatched elsewhere that anticipates market based opportunities, which in the St. Louis region in the metropolitan region. return, can provide the community with additional • Create an economic base that translates into revenue streams. a solid, sustainable tax base Labor Force: The area is today primarily a bedroom community for the higher skilled, higher income, This chapter will discuss the economic development The income from the resulting jobs and the wealth white collar members of the Metro East labor force. strategy, describe the final land use plan, discuss how base then become the source of public revenues and With the exception primarily of those employed at the goals for the project are being met and provide of private assets that can be taxed to provide essential SIUE, most commute to the west for jobs in north recommendations on strategic issues outlined in public services and infrastructure. This then becomes St. Louis County via I-270 or by means of the Poplar Chapter 2. a virtuous cycle enabling the community to enhance Street Bridge in downtown St. Louis, St. Louis the quality of life of all its residents, especially those 7.2 Economic Development Strategy University and Washington University and their who are less fortunate. medical centers, and the Clayton area. Offered more Toward an Economic Development Strategy: In high quality places of employment in the study area, Economic Assets of the I-55 Corridor: The Glen general, economic development is fundamentally a many or most commuters will opt for a job closer to Carbon/Edwardsville area and the I-55 corridor share quest for jobs and wealth. It should not be seen as home, and more will follow with their choice to live a number of important strategic advantages that taxes or fiscal development, although a strong tax in the area. any economic development strategy should seek to base should be a manifestation and key outcome capitalize upon. These include: of effective economic development. Neither is Anchors: Three salient anchors contribute to the residential development considered economic • A High Capacity Regional Cross-Road economic advantage of the Edwardsville / Glen development, per se, although the quality of the • Labor Force Carbon area, including: homes, neighborhoods, and the community will play • Anchors • Natural Amenities 2 Chapter 7 - Transportation & Growth Management Plan madison county Transportation & Growth Managementi55 Plan c o r r i d o r • Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. support of that growth. This promise argues and future highway interchanges. The quality of The presence of the university is of course for taking steps to ensure that downtown their surroundings should not be compromised the fundamental reason for the higher Edwardsville captures an optimum share by excessive and uncontrolled retail commercial quality labor force, higher average incomes of these types of jobs as Clayton has in development. (It should be noted that currently in and greater amenities of the area. Not St. Louis County over the past 50 years. that everyone lives there, but the university Otherwise, they will be dispersed across the Edwardsville and Glen Carbon area, the IL- community sets the tone and elevates the the county and will fail to achieve a critical 157, 159 and Center Grove Road Corridors possess conversation in the community to a more mass that is advantageous for any one properties more suitable for the community’s retail sophisticated level than other communities location. development.) And, every opportunity should be in Metro East. taken to create interesting, mixed-use environments Natural Amenities: The fact that the study area is where office uses are combined and integrated with • Gateway Commerce Center. More than near the bluff that defines the edge of the Mississippi any other single factor, the partnership of well planned hotel, retail, and residential uses. the City of Edwardsville, Madison County, River alluvial plain and that it accommodates the Likewise, office parks should be planned, at and the State of Illinois with TriStar passage of Silver Creek on its southward course Business Communities has had the effect of to the Kaskaskia River en route to the Mississippi least in part, as broader based business parks that reversing perceptions regarding real estate River, introduces natural features that can distinguish can accommodate various combinations of light investment in Metro East. The success of and add value to the community built along the I-55 manufacturing, research and development, and small this venture has put the area on the national corridor. These are natural amenities that cannot be scale warehousing and distribution functions as well map as a key location in the Midwest as offices. Large scale distribution and warehousing for major distribution and warehouse found or created in the American Bottoms. should not be provided for, especially since ideal operations. The development further takes Economic Development Opportunity for the I-55 appropriate advantage of the flat land and accommodation for this use exists in the American protected flood plain topography of its Corridor: White Collar Jobs: Essentially, the Bottoms. location at the interchange of I-270 and I- opportunity that the preceding factors create for the 255. study area is to become a primary regional center of What will it take to make the area a white collar office employment. Clayton, in St. Louis County, employment center? In addition to the strategic • Madison County Seat. Look no further presents a good model to consider and learn from, advantages that already exist, a strategy for creating than Clayton, Missouri, to see what can although not necessarily to attempt to copy in that a white collar employment center requires success on be accomplished by capitalizing on the three primary fronts. growth of a large urbanizing county to regard. While downtown Edwardsville should be the centerpiece for this kind of job growth, the I-55 the advantage of the seat of government. The first is continuing to build high quality homes Along with growth in the county comes Corridor can capture most of the balance that would and neighborhoods targeting executives and growth in county government itself, in seek a Metro East location. the local and state court systems, and managers of white collar businesses and institutions. in professional businesses with lawyers, Low to moderate density office/business parks should Look only to the relationship between this type architects, engineers, surveyors, appraisers, be strategically positioned at existing of housing and the present distribution of the title companies, banking, and others in 3 Madison County i55 Corridor great majority of region’s existing office facilities Hence, the need to take advantage of the slopes, Economic Concerns, Obstacles, and Challenges. – beginning with the Central West End in the City valleys, flood plains, and trees that accompany the No location is entirely suited to the highest and best of St. Louis, to Clayton, University City, Richmond Silver Creek water course to the east of I-55. Every uses available, and the I-55 corridor is no exception. Heights, Brentwood, Richmond Heights, Ladue, effort should be taken to preserve and incorporate Several factors that are important for white collar Frontenac, Creve Coeur, Town & Country, and these features into the future built environment employment expansion are relatively weak in the Chesterfield. of the area. These areas should be respected and corridor. enhanced as parks and open space, country clubs and Then note the extension of that corridor into St. golf courses, and settings for high value residences, Distance from a Major Airport. At present, the Charles County where the residential base and white institutions, and businesses. area has a direct shot via I-270 to Lambert Airport. collar labor market recently reached a critical mass However, this is about 20 miles distance and west of the Missouri River to enable major office The third element of this strategy is to plan for, subject to considerable delays and congestion employers like Master Card and Citicorp to enter the reserve the necessary and best sites for, and create in peak hours. Should the day come, as we believe market. the appropriate setting for the location of white it will, that Mid America Airport takes on a much bigger role in the region’s air travel system and the collar jobs.

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