Arts presenters plan for Highway 40 closing

The coming shutdown of large parts of Highway 40 for renovations and expansion is going to force changes in the driving habits of a lot of St. Louisans, including those who use the road to get to the various arts and cultural institutions located in Forest Park, Grand Center and elsewhere along the city's central corridor.

The Post-Dispatch had an article this weekend looking at how some local arts presenters will be dealing with potential traffic headaches and with patrons who might shy away because of travel concerns. (For you non-St. Louisans: "Highway 40" is what locals call the stretch of Interstate 64 that runs east/west from Illinois through downtown St. Louis and on out to the western suburbs. It's an important commuting route, and the work that starts in January 2008 is going to take more than two years to complete.)

The article is online here, and it's worth a look for jazz fans, as jazz venues such as the Sheldon Concert Hall (mentioned briefly in the article), Washington University and Jazz at the Bistro are located near enough to Highway 40 to see potential effects from the shutdown. The Post also offers a list of "travel tips" as a sidebar, mostly common-sense stuff like "plan ahead" and "allow extra time."

Finally, there's Project Get Around, described as "a regional initiative designed to help visitors find their way to hundreds of restaurants, shops, museums and entertainment districts." The group's Web site is scheduled to go live this week and will feature coupons for various attractions and arts organizations.