Hundreds of pounds of knives and other banned carry-on items are hauled away from the federal security checkpoints at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport every month.
And that doesn’t count the liquids and gels people absentmindedly try to carry on with them.
They’re essentially donated to state surplus property offices. From there, it gets a bit murky.
You no doubt have heard by now that last week’s Transportation Security Administration policy shift will allow some small knives and other previously prohibited property after April 25.
Under the new rules, you will be able to carry folding knives with blades no longer than 2.36 inches or wider than a half-inch. By easing the rule, you should now be able to board a plane with a pen knife or corkscrew with a small blades.
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The new rules already have sparked a backlash from flight-attendant groups who contend the change was more about making screeners’ jobs easier than keeping aircraft cabins safe. Razor blades and box cutters — like those used by the 9/11 hijackers — are still off limits.
It is just the latest clash in the ongoing tensions between safe flying and traveler convenience.
But what becomes of those banned blades that have been surrendered by travelers?
They are turned over to state surplus property offices, the TSA told us in an email. The TSA classifies these items as “voluntarily abandoned property.” Those state offices, in turn, are authorized to distribute items to qualified state and local public agencies, including libraries and police departments, the TSA said.
Clearly any illegal items, such as explosives, certain knives or firearms, are turned over immediately to law enforcement, the TSA said. People carrying those are subject to prosecution and possible civil fines.
From there, it’s anyone’s guess. The Ride Guy tried to get a more detailed account of what exactly happens once the items are turned over to the Missouri State Agency for Surplus Property, but a spokeswoman would only direct me to a state website.
Based on that site, the state “donates” the items for a “service charge” to certain entities — terms which struck the Ride Guy as a bit of an oxymoron. Those entities include public agencies, certain nonprofit groups and agencies that help the homeless and the needy.
So the Ride Guy can’t tell you exactly where that family heirloom pocketknife wound up.
Lambert Director Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge said last week that the TSA has looked at the rule change for a long time and she doesn’t feel safety is being compromised.
“On a daily basis, if you looked at the number of pocketknives that are collected that are not harmful, and people don’t have them for the intent of being harmful,” she said. “It’s taking a lot of time. Everyone’s tired of lines. And everyone’s tired of waiting.
“I do think that the TSA is looking very, very hard at what are the real threats and how can we keep everybody safe but yet reduce some of the challenges that you see at the checkpoints.”
WATCH OUT: IT’S POTHOLE SEASON
It’s March, and potholes are starting to erupt on local streets and highways.
The Missouri Department of Transportation will again be asking drivers to be its eyes and ears by reporting instances of crumbling pavement and potholes.
“We’re hoping that we get a couple weeks of warm weather,” said Ed Hassinger, MoDOT’s district engineer in St. Louis, to “dry out the pavement.”
Potholes generally form when water seeps into pavement cracks, freezes and expands when temperatures drop. This causes pavement to bulge and crack. When car tires hit it, it can cause pieces of pavement to loosen and pop out.
Hassinger said motorists can report potholes by calling 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636) or going to www.modot.org/stlouis and clicking on the green “Report a Road Concern” link.
In the meantime, keep an eye out for the patching crews, slow down and give them some room to make the repairs.
METROLINK ‘CROSSOVER’ TO EASE DELAYS
Metro has opened a new $10 million crossover system at the UMSL South MetroLink station that is expected to reduce delays when tracks are being repaired.
The system allows MetroLink trains to cross from one track to another, giving the transit agency more operational flexibility to run service on a single track when necessary.
Most of the project — about $8.5 million — was paid for using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, officials said last week. The remaining funds were a mix of federal and local matching dollars.
Metro President and CEO John Nations said that prior to the opening of the new crossover, the nearest “interlocking” system was about four miles away. That often required Metro to schedule repairs after service hours or to use bus shuttles between certain stations.
Nations said the project was completed on time and within budget.
The project, he said, also included construction of a new sidewalk, road and signal house.
Ken Leiser is the transportation writer at the Post-Dispatch. Read his Along for the Ride column online and every Sunday in the newspaper.
