More Sprawl, but also Transit, Arch Funding in Regional Transportation Planning Document

The East-West Gateway Council of Governments draft Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) document for fiscal years 2012-2015 has been released. It's much more important than it sounds. Want to get a road repaved? A bridge built? A land added to that highway you drive everyday? It has to be on the TIP. So what's here? A total of $797M in transportation spending.

Two big projects will continue to feed sprawl into St. Charles County and western St. Louis County. Phase III of the Page Avenue Extension is set to receive $71M and a new span of the Missouri River, replacing the westbound Boone Bridge span at a cost of $123M. Other projects include the resurfacing of Wydown Boulevard in Clayton at $3.7M, $11M to create HOV and BRT lanes "on various routes in St. Louis County." There's also a total of $81M for two projects related to the Poplar Street Bridge, I-64 interchange and I-70 "improvements related to Jefferson National Expansion Memorial", the Arch. Both are labeled as "preservation" projects. Is this how funding for the $578M Arch grounds plan begins?