MetroLink
A view of the MetroLink system passing through Belleville, Illinois.
Info
Owner	Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT)
Locale	St. Louis Metropolitan Area
Transit type	Light rail
Number of lines	2
Number of stations	37
Daily ridership	61,573 (FY 2008)
Headquarters	St. Louis, Missouri
Operation
Began operation	July 31, 1993 (1993-07-31)
Operator(s)	Bi-State Development Agency (d/b/a Metro)
Reporting marks	BSDA
Number of vehicles	87
Train length	2 Articulated Vehicles
Headway	5 Minutes
Technical
System length	46 miles (74.0 km)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) (standard gauge)
Electrification	Overhead lines, 750 V DC
Average speed	55 mph (89 km/h)
Top speed	65 mph (105 km/h)
Route diagram

MetroLink (reporting mark BSDA) is the light rail transit system in the Greater St. Louis area of Missouri and Illinois. The entire system currently consists of two lines (Red Line and Blue Line) connecting Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and Shrewsbury, MO with Scott Air Force Base near Shiloh, Illinois through downtown St. Louis. The system features 37 stations and carries an average of 61,573 people each weekday.^[1]

A second line, the "Cross-County Extension," now known as the Blue Line, opened to the public August 26, 2006 (2006-08-26). This 8-mile (12.9 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]

[edit] History

A MetroLink train leaving Union Station.

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 (1993-07-31), 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).^[7]

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.^[7]

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.^[7]

A westbound MetroLink train arrives at Grand Station in downtown St. Louis.

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 (2006-08-26), and a parking garage at the Brentwood I-64 station opened on June 12, 2007 (2007-06-12). The garage parks 1000 cars where riders can park for free.

On October 27, 2008 (2008-10-27), 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.^[8]

[edit] Chronology

Below is a chronological list of dates on which specific portions of the MetroLink system opened for service.

[edit] Rail Lines

MetroLink station diagram for both Blue and Red lines.

[edit] Red Line

• Red Line

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 Boulevard; and making a stop at Delmar Boulevard, 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 Alignment.

[edit] Blue Line

In October 2008, MetroLink added color to their respective lines.

• Blue Line

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 right under Forest Park Parkway, making stops at Forsyth Boulevard and Big Bend Boulevard in University City, serving Washington University. It then makes a stop at Skinker Boulevard in St. Louis City, before meeting the Red Line at Forest Park DeBaliviere station. For the rest of the Blue Line, see Shared Alignment.

[edit] Shared Alignment

The 1874-built Eads Bridge carries both MetroLink tracks across the Mississippi River between Missouri and Illinois on its lower rail deck.

Both MetroLink lines meet at the Forest Park-Debaliviere station and continue for fourteen more stations east 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 under the Grand Boulevard viaduct, which services the Saint Louis University complex and hospital. The trains pass under the Jefferson Avenue viaduct before they enter the next station near Union Station, located underneath 18th Street just near 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 to run parallel under the 14th Street and Tucker Boulevard viaducts to the elevated section of Interstate 64 till the Busch Stadium station, originally serving the old, and now the new Busch Stadium. The trains continue underground through a series of abandoned railway tunnels, with stations at 8th & Pine streets, and the Convention Center under Washington Avenue and 6th Street, serving the Edward Jones Dome and Convention Center. It then makes stops on both sides of the Eads Bridge at Arch-Laclede's Landing station and at the East Riverfront station in East St. Louis, which serves the Casino Queen Gambling Casino & Hotel. From there it runs at-grade from the 5th & 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 at the gate to the base in Shiloh, Illinois.

[edit] Gallery

Southbound train rolls through a railroad crossing after departing from Sunnen station.	Westbound platform for the U-City/Big Bend subway station along the Blue Line.	A Blue Line MetroLink train bound for Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 passes by downtown Clayton, Missouri. The train is travelling within the median of Forest Park Parkway.	MetroLink train makes a stop at Brentwood station.
A view of the Lambert Airport Main station. This is the current western terminus of the Red Line.	A view of the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 station in Shrewsbury, Missouri. This is the current terminus of the Blue Line as a southbound train pulls into the station.	Looking down the tracks from East Riverfront station into the historic 1874 Eads Bridge, which spans the Mississippi River.	MetroLink's 8th & Pine subway station entrance.

[edit] Rolling stock

Interior of a MetroLink light-rail vehicle.

MetroLink operates a fleet of 87 light-rail vehicles composed of 31 SD-400 and 56 SD-460 vehicles. Each 90-foot (27,432 mm), single articulated vehicle has 4 high platform doors per side and has a capacity of 72 seated and 106 standing passengers.^[9][10] The cars are powered by an electric motor which gets its electricity from a catenary wire with a 750 volt supply.

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.

The system also has two different railroad yards along the line for the storage and maintenance of light-rail vehicles: Ewing Yard is located between the Grand and Union Station stops just west of downtown St. Louis; 29th Street Yard is located between the JJK and Washington Park stops in Illinois. On October 27, 2009, Metro had recently opened a paint booth facility on the Illinois railyard in East St. Louis, IL.

Brand-new Siemens SD-400 unit on the then-newly opened MetroLink system in 1993.

[edit] Roster information

[edit] Fares

Civic Center MetroLink Station

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. Effective January 1, 2009 (2009-01-01), the fares are as follows:

• 1 Ride Ticket - $2.25 (reduced fare - $1.10)
• 2 Hour Pass - $2.75 (reduced fare - $1.35)
• 2 Hour Pass from Lambert Airport - $3.75
• One-Day Pass - $7.50

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.^[12]

[edit] List of stations

[edit] Future Plans and Extensions

These extensions will increase the MetroLink light rail system with 80 miles of trackage.

[edit] Daniel Boone Corridor

Daniel Boone Corridor - Clayton to Westport

A study performed in 2000 recommended a new MetroLink line from Clayton, Missouri to Westport Plaza in Maryland Heights, Missouri. The 12.2-mile 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. ^[13] This future alignment will add up to six stations between Clayton and Maryland Heights in the I-170-Page Corridor. Metro officials have suggested that this line could be the next MetroLink extension to be built. ^[14][15]

[edit] Metro North Corridor

Metro North Corridor - Clayton to Florissant

This 16-mile extension project would extend the current Blue Line from Clayton to North County into Florissant. Like the Daniel Boone line, some of it will follow along the old Rock Island Railroad right-of-way paralleling I-170.

[edit] Metro South Corridor

Metro South Corridor - Shrewsbury to Butler Hill

This 12-mile extension project would extend the current Blue Line from its terminus in Shrewsbury further into South County beyond I-270/I-255 to Butler Hill Road. 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. ^[16]

[edit] Metro West Corridor

Metro West Corridor - Westport to Chesterfield

This 12 to 15-mile extension is part of Phase II of the Daniel Boone Line to connect Westport Plaza to Chesterfield, Missouri in West County.

[edit] West County Connector

West County Connector- Northside to Daniel Boone and North County

This future 6-mile connector cuts off from the Northside Line in North St. Louis, passing over the Red Line to the future Daniel Boone and North County Line extensions.

[edit] Northside Corridor

Northside Corridor - Downtown to Goodfellow & I-70 to St. Louis Community College-Florissant Valley ^[17]:

The 12-mile extension starts north from Downtown St Louis further northwest to the Florissant Valley Community College.

[edit] Southside Corridor

Southside Corridor - Downtown to Bayless to Butler Hill^[18]

The 9-mile or 17-mile extension starts from Downtown to the south of St. Louis County to Butler Hill.

[edit] St. Clair County Extension

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. ^[19]

[edit] Madison County Corridors

Madison County Corridors - 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 (34–37 km) away. No further studies have been performed nor any sources of funding identified. ^[20] In 1997, voters in Madison County rejected a half-cent sales tax proposal to fund a MetroLink extension. ^[15]

[edit] St. Charles Corridor

St. Charles Corridor - Lambert Airport to St. Charles

Possible plans to extend service 16 to 20 miles northwestward into St. Charles County were abandoned after St. Charles County voters rejected a sales tax in 1996 to fund an extension; subsequently, all Metro bus service to St. Charles County was ended.

[edit] Southwest Corridor

Southwest Corridor - South St. Louis to Fenton

This 16-20 mile extension to Fenton, Missouri in Southwest County is considered for study by the East-West Gateway Council of Governments.

[edit] See also

• List of tram and light-rail transit systems
• List of rail transit systems in the United States
• St. Clair County Transit District
• Delmar Loop Trolley

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

[edit] External links

External images
	Rapid Transit Systems – St. Louis Photographs of the MetroLink system.
	Railroad Picture Archives: MetroLink – MetroLink photographs at Railroad Picture Archives.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: St. Louis MetroLink

• MetroLink – Official Website
• East West Gateway – MetroLink Planning & Corridor Information
• Cross County Extension – Official Project Website
• Metro South MetroLink Extension – Official study page for South St. Louis county extension.
• Citizens for Modern Transit – Official CMT-STL Website
• UrbanRail.Net – St. Louis MetroLink Information & Map
• Riverfront Times – Article: Is MetroLink a vehicle for crime? August 19, 2008 (2008-08-19)
• City Rail Transit – St. Louis MetroLink Network Map
• MetroLink Photos – Pictures of MetroLink
• NextStop STL| A Conversation About Transit – NextStop STL Website
• More MetroLink Website

v • d • e Railroads of Illinois Common carriers ALS • BJRY • BLOL • BNSF • BOCT • BRC • CAEG • CC • CCUO • CFE • CIR • CIRY • CN • COER • CP • CPC • CRL • CSS • CSXT • CTM • DME • DT • EFRR • EIRC • EJE • EVWR • GTW • GWWE • IAIS • IC • IHB • ILW • IMRR • INRD • IR • JE • KBSR • KCS • KJRY • LSLS • MJ • MRS • NS • PPU • PRY • RVPR • SCIH • SIM • SOO • STR • TPW • TRRA • TZPR • UP • VRRC • VVRR • WC • WSOR Passenger carriers AMTK • BST • CTA • FRTX • IRYM • METX • MRMZ • NICD • SCSX Private carriers BTCZ • CCFF • CHTT • CMAZ • CRC • CWI • DOTX • FNG • JJRX • KKRX • NAIR • MIRR • PCCX • PPHW • RRC Former carriers A • ATSF • BN • BO • C&A • CBQ • CEI • CGW • CIW • CMNW • CNW • CO • CR • CRI • CTML • ERIE • EL • GMO • GWWR • ICE • ICG • IHRC • LM • LSBC • IMRL • IN • ITC • LN • MC • MI • MILW • MON • MP • MSTL • NKP • NP • NW • NYC • PACY • PAE • PARY • PC • PI • PLM • PM • PRR • PTC • RI • SBD • SOU • SP • SSW • WAB • WICT • WVRC • ZCCX See also: List of United States railroads by political division

v • d • e Railroads of Missouri Common carriers AM • BNSF • BSDA • CMR • CP • CSXT • CT • DME • KCS • KCT • KCTL • KAW • MNA • MNC • MOC • MRS • MVP • NS • OVRR • SE • SIM • SKOL • TRRA • UP Passenger carriers AMTK • BSRX • BST • MOTX • SLIM Private carriers HTSX • JGDX • JSRC • MRIX • RRC • SHRX Former carriers A • ATSF • BN • BO • BVS • CBQ • CBRM • CEI • CGW • CNW • CO • CR • GMO • GWWR • HC • IC • ICG • LN • MI • MILW • MKT • MP • MS • NKP • NYC • PC • PRR • RI • RSM • SBD • SLSF • SOO • SOU • SSW • WAB • WGRY See also: List of United States railroads by political division

Coordinates: 38°37′32″N 90°13′15″W / 38.62565°N 90.22073°W / 38.62565; -90.22073