Population
During the late 1940s, the St. Louis planners’ foreshadowed strong growth in population, predicting a rise upwards of 900,000 by the 1970s (refer to table below). The study of population growth provided a basis for the drafting of the comprehensive plan. With the focus geared towards accommodating for more people, the planners sought to improve existing infrastructure (due to prioritizing resources for World War II, many cities, including St. Louis, halted their retrofitting programs) as well as construct new homes and traffic ways. [1]
Despite these optimistic predictions, the population of St. Louis has actually been on a decline—with the most recent census in 2010 listing only 319,294 people living within the city. According to the United States Census Bureau, the population within St. Louis will continue to decline for the next several years. [2]
References:
1. "Population." Comprehensive City Plan 1947. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Aug. 2014.<https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/archive/1947-comprehensive-plan/population.shtml>
2. "United States Census Bureau." St. Louis City QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau, 08 July 2014. Web. 30 Aug. 2014.<http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/29/29510.html>3. Patterson, Steve. "St. Louis Population May Drop Below 300K In 2020 Census." UrbanReviewSTL. N.p., 03 Mar. 2013. Web. 03 Sept. 2014. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.urbanreviewstl.com%2Ftag%2Fcensus%2F>.