St. Louis faces issues and problems common to large American cities: Urban decay, the deterioration of inner-city housing, interracial tensions, homelessness, traffic congestion, and air and water pollution are continuing problems. With many sources of tax revenue out of reach in suburban cities, St. Louis lacks resources for renewal and expansion of its infrastructure and adequate support for social services and cultural activities.
Decisions on the funding and location of public facilities and services are persistent political issues. A proposal to extend Page Avenue from Westport Plaza across the Missouri River into St. Charles County has proved divisive. The project is supported by suburban communities but opposed by environmental groups and the people of the Maryland Heights area because it cuts through Creve Coeur Park, one of St. Louis' oldest and most attractive parks. The St. Louis Airport Authority wants to expand Lambert Airport by adding a third runway. The expansion, which would require extending the airport across Lindbergh Boulevard into Bridgeton at the expense of hundreds of homes, is opposed by residents in neighborhoods in the airport vicinity and by the state of Illinois, which desires a share of air traffic.
