Re Cycling/Recycling

Neon Memes • Curiosity at last overcame me, and I surrendered to the temptation to inspect recent "improvements" atop the River Des Peres levee near the intersection of I-55 and Germania. I parked my ZX2 on a still-pristine six-space lot composed of handsome cobbles and bracketed by stretches of equally handsome trapezoidal pavers―a mason's showcase, truly. Beyond the brickwork in each direction unreeled a black ribbon of asphalt something like 10 feet wide, a handy path for bicyclists, runners and those seeking less rigorous recreation, like the elderly couple who strolled past me as I played Sherlock Holmes. To the east, it all terminated at the interstate overpass, where a sign promised, "Future Expansion River Des Peres Greenway." The sign also mentioned "a clean, green, connected St. Louis region." That slogan recurred to me once I returned to the ZX2 and leaned over the black lacquered ornamental fence fringing the cobbled lot. Below, the RDP had dwindled to a creek, and among other things, adorning its exposed banks were countless empty water bottles. Good intentions, it seems, pave not only the road to hell but also the bike path to urban renewal. ―Bryan A. Hollerbach, Managing Editor