Argonne Drive: Spitting Distance from Perfection

• First off, a quick update on the train station platform work. I mentioned a couple of weeks back that I was disappointed that Amtrak has no plans to raise the platform upon reconstruction so as to facilitate quicker and easier on and off-boarding of passengers. I also mentioned that such a design seemed to violate Amtrak's own updated standards. A knowledgable reader has since informed me that Union Pacific, the owner of the tracks, did not allow for the platform to be even slightly raised due to the curve of that section of tracks. It's still disappointing, but at least we know it's not really the city's fault. In better news, Amtrak is planning to include a 30-bike rack in the project. A groundbreaking ceremony for the full station overhaul will be held next Tuesday, February 25th at 11am.
• The main items on tonight's City Council agenda are the two public hearings for the Downtown Kirkwood SBD and City of Kirkwood fiscal year budgets. I've yet to get the chance to full dive into these enough to offer any analysis, but I did find it notable that in addition to the 100 year anniversary of the library in 2026, it also seems to be the 50th year anniversary of the Farmer's Market. Big year for Downtown Kirkwood institutions; hopefully we do something to celebrate.
• A couple new and notable items from last week's Webster-Kirkwood Times:
  • On pg. 4-A, there's a nice write-up of the new sidewalk ordinance which basically says the city gets to make up who the rules apply to as it goes along. Rules for thee but not for me! Err, I mean a "common sense approach!" I also don't know how the change is "consistent with the recommendation of planning and zoning" given that they recommended we not change the rules on sidewalks and this is an amendment to... change the rules on sidewalks. Isn't Hessel supposed to be retiring now that we changed the rules to allow the city attorney to live elsewhere anyway?
  • On pg. 1-B, there's a great write-up of Kirkwood Historical Society's Black History Month programming. You can register for one of the five Motorcoach tours of prominent Black historical sites that former Council Member Wallace Ward will be narrating this Saturday here. Tours leave from Mudd's Grover every hour and a half between 9am and 3pm and Mudd's Grove will also be hosting an open house from 9-5:30pm. It sounds amazing!
  • Finally, at the bottom of pg. 11-B, there's a nice little write up on Kirkwood's inaugural "Tree of the Year," the mighty post oak! The Tree of the Year lauch event will be held on March1st, a week from Saturday, at KPAC from 10-12. The way the Tree of the Year program was explained to me is that it's an attempt to ensure 1) Kirkwood is populated with high quality species and 2) we don't over-index on any one tree (thus leaving us to vulnerable to mass casualty events like we've seen in recent years with the Emerald Ash Borer). That seems like a really smart forward-thinking initiative, and I encourage you to support it. Go to the event and plant a post oak this spring!