MetroLink is the light rail transit system in the Greater St. Louis area of Missouri and Illinois. The system currently consists of two lines connecting Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and Shrewsbury, MO with Scott Air Force Base near Shiloh, IL through downtown St. Louis. The system features 37 stations and carries an average of 67,684 people each weekday (FY 2007).^[1]

A second line, the "Cross-County Extension," now known as the Blue Line, opened to the public August 26, 2006. This 8 mile (13 km), 9-station line connects Washington University, Clayton, the popular Saint Louis Galleria shopping center and Shrewsbury to the system.^[2]

Further extensions are under study, but no alignments have yet been chosen, engineered or funded.

MetroLink is operated by the Bi-State Development Agency, which since 2003 is doing business as Metro.^[3]

History

Construction on the initial MetroLink alignment from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport to the 5th & Missouri station in East St. Louis began in 1990. The portion between North Hanley and 5th & Missouri stations opened in July 31, 1993, and the line was extended westward to Lambert Airport Main station in 1994.^[4] At that time another station, East Riverfront, was opened in East St. Louis.^[5] Four years later, in 1998, the Lambert Airport East station was added.^[6] The capital cost to build the initial phase of MetroLink was $465 million. Of that amount, $348 million was supplied by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).^[1]

MetroLink exceeded pre-opening ridership estimates, but the system has expanded slowly. Construction on proposed extensions has been delayed by the increasing scarcity of FTA funds. As time has passed, an ever-greater share of the costs has been borne by state and local governments. The most recent work has been entirely funded by local dollars.

Construction on the St. Clair County MetroLink extension from the 5th & Missouri station to the College station in Belleville began in 1998 and opened in May 2001. The extension added eight new stations and seven park-ride lots. The total project cost was $339.2 million, with the FTA and St. Clair County Transit District sharing the burden at 72% ($243.9 million) and 28% ($95.2 million), respectively. Local funding was provided by the St. Clair County Transit District as a result of a 1/2 cent sales tax passed in November 1993.^[1]

In May 2003, a 3.5 mile (5.6 km) extension from Southwestern Illinois College to Shiloh-Scott station opened. This $75 million project was funded by a $60 million grant from the Illinois FIRST (Fund for Infrastructure, Roads, Schools, and Transit) Program and $15 million from the St. Clair County Transit District.^[1]

The recent Cross-County Extension project was funded by a $430 million Metro bond issue. Metro cited repeated delays and cost overruns as its reasons for firing its general contractor in Summer 2004. The contractor, itself a coalition of four general contractors (Cross County Collaborative), in turn cited excessive change orders by Metro as the cause of the problems. After firing the general contractor, Metro functioned as its own general contractor on the project. Metro sued the Collaborative for $81 million for fraud & mismanagement. The Collaborative counter-sued for $17 million for work that Metrolink hadn't yet paid for. On December 1st, 2007, the jury voted in favor of the Cross County Collaborative, awarding them $2.56 million for work as yet unpaid for.

The rail portion of the extension opened to the public August 26, 2006, and a parking garage at the Brentwood I-64 station opened on June 12, 2007. The garage parks 1000 cars where riders can park for free.

On October 27, 2008, Metro renamed the two MetroLink lines using color designations: the Lambert Airport branch was renamed to the Red Line; the Shrewsbury branch, the Blue Line. Service was also extended on the Blue Line from its former terminus at Emerson Park to Fairview Heights. All trains have a red or blue sign on the front that identify the train as a Red Line or Blue Line train, and all operators make station announcements identifying the Red Line or Blue Line.^[7]

Lines

St. Louis MetroLink
St. Louis MetroLink
	File:St Louis Metro Logo.gif
Overview
Locale	St. Louis metropolitan area
Transit type	Light rail
Number of lines	2
Number of stations	37
Daily ridership	67,684 (FY 2007)
Operation
Began operation	July 31, 1993
Operator(s)	Bi-State Development Agency dba Metro
Technical
System length	46 mi (74 km)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) (standard gauge)

Red Line: Lambert Main to Shiloh-Scott

The main Metrolink alignment begins at Lambert St. Louis International Airport, making stops at the main and east terminals. It then proceeds through Kinloch before making a stop North Hanley in Bel-Ridge. It then makes 2 stops (UMSL North & South stations) at the University of Missouri St. Louis located in Normandy. Following that, it makes stops in Pagedale at St. Charles Rock Road and in Wellston, before crossing the county line at Skinker Blvd; and making a stop at Delmar Blvd, serving the popular Delmar Loop. It meets up with the Blue Line at the Forest Park- DeBaliviere station. From this station on till the Fairview Heights station, it shares tracks with the Blue Line. For the rest of the Red Line see Shared Allignment.

Blue Line: Shrewsbury Lansdowne I-44 to Fairview Heights

The Blue Line starts in Shrewsbury just to the west of River des Peres. It crosses Interstate 44 and then continues northeast till the next 2 stations located in Maplewood, one at the Sunnen Industrial Complex, the other at Manchester Road. From there it continues north to the Brentwood I-64 station located in Brentwood just south of Interstate 64. It then proceeds underneath Interstate 64, continuing to the Richmond Heights station in Richmond Heights. This station serves the popular St. Louis Galleria shopping center. Following that it proceeds to Clayton Central station in Clayton, serving the Central Business District of St. Louis County. From here it continues in a tunnel, making stops at Forsyth Blvd and Big Bend in University City, serving Washington University. It then makes a stop at Skinker Blvd in St. Louis City, before meeting the Red Line at Forest Park DeBaliviere station. For the rest of the Blue Line see Shared Allignment.

Shared Allignment

Both Metrolink lines meet at the Forest Park station and continue on shared tracks till the Blue Line terminates at Fairview Heights.

From the Forest Park station the trains continue to the Central West End station, serving the Barnes Jewish Hospital complex and the popular Euclid Avenue shopping district. From there it proceeds to the Grand station at Grand Ave, which services the Saint Louis University complex and hospital. The next station is Union Station, located underneath the popular Union Station shopping mall. A short distance later the trains stop at the Civic Center Station, with transfer to the Gateway Transportation Center and the Scottrade Center. The trains then continue parallel to the elevated section of Interstate 64 till the Busch Stadium station, serving Busch Stadium. The trains continue underground through a series abandoned railway tunnels, with stations at 8th and Pine streets, and at Washington Ave and 6th Street, serving the Edward Jones Dome and Convention Center. It then makes stops on both sides of the Eads Bridge at Laclede's Landing Station and at the East Riverfront Station in East St. Louis, which serves the Casino Queen. From there it runs at-grade from the 5th and Missouri station till the Fairview Heights station in Fairview Heights, IL. Here the Blue line trains terminate, and the Red line trains continue till the line terminus at Shiloh-Scott AFB station in Shiloh, IL

Rolling stock

MetroLink operates a fleet of 87 light-rail vehicles composed of 31 SD-400 and 56 SD-460 vehicles. Each 90 foot long, single articulated vehicle has 4 high platform doors per side and has a capacity of 72 seated and 106 standing passengers. ^[8]^[9] The cars are powered by an electric motor which gets its electricity from a catanary wire with a 750 volt current.

Each car has an enclosed operator cab at each end. This allows the most flexible system for managing operations, but prevents travel between cars except at stations. Each car also has separate doors for station level and track level access. In normal operations the track level doors (equipped with stairs) are unused.

There are two train yards in the transit system for the storage and maintenance of light-rail vehicles: the primary yard is located between the Grand and Union Station stops just west of downtown St. Louis; the other yard is located between the JJK and Washington Park stops in Illinois.

Fares

MetroLink uses a proof-of-payment system. Tickets can be purchased at ticket vending machines at the entrance to all stations and must be validated before boarding the train.

1 Ride Ticket - $2.00 (reduced fare - $1.00)
2 Hour Pass - $2.25 (reduced fare - $1.10)
2 Hour Pass from Lambert Airport - $3.50 (reduced fare - $1.75)
One-Day Pass - $4.50

Reduced fares can be purchased by seniors ages 65+, people with disabilities, and children ages 5-12. Children younger than 5 years of age ride free. Proof of age may be requested of all people riding with reduced fares. Weekly and monthly passes are also available in addition to the fares listed above.^[10]

List of stations

Further Plans

Daniel Boone - Clayton to Westport: A study perfomed in 2000 recommended a new MetroLink line from Clayton, Missouri to Westport Plaza in Maryland Heights, Missouri. The line would run north from the Clayton station along the old Rock Island Railroad right-of-way paralleling I-170, then turn west to follow existing TRRA trackage to Page where the line would then follow Page Avenue to Westport Plaza.^[11] Metro officials have suggested that this line could be the next MetroLink extension to be built.^[12]^[13]

Metro South - Shrewsbury to Butler Hill: This project would extend the current Blue Line from its terminus in Shrewsbury further into South County beyond I-270/I-255 to Butler Hill Rd. An environmental impact study was completed in 2004; however, selection of a locally preferred alternative was deferred due to the lack of local funding sources as well as many other factors.^[14]

Northside - Downtown to Goodfellow & I-70 to St. Louis Community College-Florissant Valley^[15]

Southside - Downtown to Bayless to Butler Hill^[16]

St. Clair County Extension Phase 3 - Shiloh-Scott to Mid-America Airport: This 5.3 mile (8.5 km) extension to Mid-America Airport was originally part of the St. Clair County Extension Phase 2 project that extended MetroLink to Shiloh-Scott, but was separated into its own project by the Federal Transit Administration due to low ridership projections. Design work for this extension has been completed, but funding for construction has yet to be secured.^[17]

Madison County - East St. Louis to Alton or Edwardsville: A feasibility study was performed in 2005 to investigate the potential costs, ridership, and impacts of extending MetroLink into Madison County, Illinois. The recommended alignment options would extend MetroLink from the 5th & Missouri station in East St. Louis north to Madison, Illinois and potentially to Alton or Edwardsville 21-23 miles away. No further studies have been performed nor any sources of funding identified.^[18] In 1997, voters in Madison County rejected a half-cent sales tax proposal to fund a MetroLink extension.^[13]

MetroLink (St. Louis)