St. Louis committee advances speed-hump installations and creates four-way stop recommendation

The St. Louis City Public Infrastructure and Utilities Committee voted May 1 to recommend approval of four board bills that would add speed humps at several neighborhood locations and establish a four-way stop at North Garrison Avenue and Locust Street.

Alderman Sharp Hubbard introduced Board Bill 3, asking the committee to direct the director of streets, under ordinance numbers 70333 and 71394, to install speed humps on the 1200 block of Montclair Avenue. "These humps were requested by one of my constituents, Dorothy Snead, leadership in that area over CCUNA," Sharp Hubbard said, referring to the Citizens United Neighborhood Association, and asked the committee for a "due pass recommendation." The committee recorded four aye votes and sustained a do-pass recommendation on the bill.

Alderman Kara Spencer, participating by Zoom, presented Board Bill 4, a request for six speed humps at locations approved by the street department. Spencer said the work would be paid for with Ward capital and noted prior speed-hump work in the 8th Ward supported by the Soulard Community Improvement District. She asked for a favorable do-pass recommendation, which the committee granted.

Board Bill 5, introduced by Alderman Laura Keyes, would add roughly 12 speed humps across multiple Midtown and Locust Business District blocks — including Isla Boulevard, Carter Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Washington Avenue, Cardinal Avenue and North Compton Avenue — to calm traffic in wider streets where drivers can reach higher speeds. Keyes said the locations were chosen because they are "very active and very wide," and she requested a do-pass recommendation; the committee passed the recommendation after a roll call procedure.

Keyes also presented Board Bill 6 to establish a four-way stop at North Garrison Avenue and Locust Street, regulating north/south and east/west traffic at that intersection. Keyes told the committee the intersection poses a hazard to vehicles and pedestrians in the Locust Business District and asked for a favorable consideration; the committee approved the do-pass recommendation.

Votes at a glance:
- Board Bill 3 (1200 block Montclair Avenue; speed humps). Motion moved and seconded; clerk recorded 4 aye votes and the committee gave a do-pass recommendation.
- Board Bill 4 (six speed humps; locations approved by streets; Ward capital funding). Committee granted a do-pass recommendation after Alderman Spencer’s presentation.
- Board Bill 5 (about 12 speed humps across Midtown/Locust blocks). Committee approved do-pass recommendation after roll call.
- Board Bill 6 (four-way stop at North Garrison Avenue & Locust Street). Committee approved do-pass recommendation.

The committee briefly recessed to attempt to allow an online participant to present public comment; the meeting reconvened at 3:53 p.m. with no public testimony on the current bills. Vice Chair Browning described options for residents seeking speed humps — noting petition-based processes vary by ward and that the streets department evaluates vehicle speeds and crash counts — and Chair Schweitzer said crash data are maintained by the St. Louis Police Department and that aldermen can request crash reports for specific locations.

Chair Schweitzer also announced an upcoming public review of the water division this month as part of work on the water rate bill and said staff working on the Transportation and Mobility Plan will present to the committee in about four weeks as a precursor to reintroducing Complete Streets legislation.

The committee adjourned after the votes and announcements.