Expanding MetroLink in the City of St. Louis and North St. Louis County and improving security on current light rail lines will be the focus of upcoming public open houses hosted by the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County in partnership with Metro Transit and Bi-State Development.
The City and County want to expand MetroLink to provide new access to growing and established job centers for residents with limited transportation options and to invest in historically underserved neighborhoods.
Metro Transit is currently designing security enhancements for the first group of its 38 MetroLink stations that will receive high security gates and fencing. The public is welcome to attend an in-person or virtual event to learn more about expansion and security plans, to see the results of a recent interactive online MetroLink survey that had more than 2,300 respondents and to provide feedback.
The City of St. Louis has modified its preferred Northside-Southside alignment, called the Jefferson Avenue Alignment, because of changing commuter patterns following the COVID-19 pandemic, growing Downtown West and Midtown employment hubs and escalating construction costs. The Jefferson Avenue Alignment would travel completely along Jefferson Avenue from Chippewa Street in South St. Louis to Grand Boulevard and west on Natural Bridge in North St. Louis.
It would connect to the existing Red and Blue MetroLink lines at a new Transfer Station near Jefferson Avenue. The Jefferson Avenue Alignment is currently in the 15% design phase, which also includes determining cost and ridership estimates.
St. Louis County is currently conducting an alternatives analysis of four potential MetroLink lines
that would extend light rail into North County by connecting with the Jefferson Avenue Alignment on Natural Bridge. The line would be called the North STL County Community Connector. The goal for this alternatives analysis phase is to select one of the four proposed routes or a combination of routes that best meets the needs of the community.
Trains and tracks for both the Jefferson Avenue Alignment and the North STL County Community Connector will look different from the current MetroLink system that was built primarily on former freight railroad right of way.
The Jefferson Avenue Alignment and the North STL County Community Connector would utilize low-floor MetroLink vehicles in the street operating within a dedicated right-of-way area (no cars allowed) separated from traffic by a curb. This will enhance safety and improve train travel times.
St. Louis County
Beyond Housing
6506 Wright Way
St. Louis, MO 63121
Monday, May 22, 2023
4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Virtual Public Meeting
Pre-Register at:
https://bit.ly/3p5wMVx
City of St. Louis
Doorways
1101 Jefferson Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63106
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Virtual Public Meeting
Pre-Register at:
https://bit.ly/ 3p1BjIM
