St. Claire County, Illinois, is preparing plans

St. Claire County, Illinois, is preparing plans for seven transit-oriented developments (TODs) adjacent to new Metrolink rail stops east of St. Louis. The TOD plans, by Woolpert, a design and engineering firm based in Cincinnati, include both infill and greenfield sites, and redevelopment of suburban strip commercial areas. “Each site has a different character,” notes Wes Munzel, an urban designer with Woolpert who has experience with new urbanist firms Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co. and Gibbs Planning Group. The county received a matching $100,000 grant from Illinois Department of Transportation to fund the corridor study, and is seeking $75,000 more, according to Scott Schanuel, project manager. Metrolink and five municipalities where the stations are located are also involved, he says. Each TOD plan examines a half mile radius around the station. A pattern book and set of codes are to be created.