Cities throughout the country are embracing a more regional approach to economic, social, and environmental development. This regional approach is driven by globalization that has transformed metropolitan regions into the key engines driving economic growth. In order to maintain and enhance economic competitiveness, regions should plan for a collaborative and shared future. This regional approach, which comes in many different forms, is critical to future economic development. Central to economic development is an improved quality of life for all citizens while protecting and enhancing our environment and natural resources.
The St. Louis region has begun a discussion through this planning process facilitated by East-West Gateway Council of Governments. OneSTL provides goals, objectives, and strategies that will move the metropolitan area toward a more sustainable future. Throughout the planning process, citizens acknowledged that regional trends shape local conditions and local conditions have an impact on all of our residents. Our region’s natural, social, and economic resources create the unique and distinctive places that citizens value and want to protect. Our region, like others, is facing key challenges as we respond to changes in population, technology, the economy, and aging infrastructure, while managing impacts on local resources and the environment. OneSTL identifies these challenges as opportunities to create a unified, forward-thinking approach to enhance our quality of life and preserve the capacity to fulfill the needs of our citizens, now and in the future. 
200 Committee Members Participated in Planning (All-Committee Workshop)
OneSTL presents a vision for the future that capitalizes on these regional resources and provides strategies and tools to empower jurisdictions, organizations, and individuals to play a role in building a more sustainable St. Louis over the long term. 
The plan seeks to ensure that growth and development will conserve resources and create choice and opportunity. Through implementation of OneSTL, the region will be able to improve water and air quality while more efficiently spending money on infrastructure. People will have more transportation and housing choices. Collaboration and efficiency will open up more resources for municipalities and communities. OneSTL prepares our region to improve the quality of life for all citizens in the St. Louis region. East-West Gateway is dedicated to the on-going facilitation and progress of this regional plan and will ensure that OneSTL is continually improved to enhance our region's health, vibrancy, and prosperity.
