April 29, 2010 | 21 Comments

Map of Proposed Transit Service Restoration for St. Louis Metro Transit

St. Louis Metro Transit Proposed Restoration Routes April 2010

Here is the map that Metro’s Planning Department is presenting at our public meetings.  The map provides a rough outline of what the proposed changes would look like on a regional map.  Please review along with the proposed route changes for Phases 1-3, and consider answering the following questions for our planning department:

MetroLink or MetroBus route:

Destination and arrival/departure time:

How may we improve service on this route?

Do you have any other ideas on how the Metro System could be made to better suit your needs?  Please feel free to include additional comments about specific MetroLink or MetroBus routes, or to suggest a new route or type of service.  Metro is also interested in improving the customer experience throughout the system with additional bus shelters and benches, more lighting, improved passenger information and more informative bus signs, etc.  Do you have any specific recommendations for these types of passenger amenities?

We appreciate it! Leave comments here, or email to restoration2010@metrostlouis.org.  Thank you for your time and feedback in helping us bring better service to St. Louis.

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Author:Courtney

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  • RTBones

    Wow. Is this _really_ the map being presented at the planning meetings? I hope you can give people who can attend at least a _little_ more detail than this. With all due respect, this map is horrid and tells me very little.

    As to how Metro could better serve me — make the 45 (or whatever it transmogrifies into) a no-kidding service on the half hour all day long, and run it later.

    Update your signage to display routes. I can send you a picture of what I am talking about from a recent trip to London.

    Reduce the number of stops on some routes.

    Add a “night bus” service to/through popular nightlife areas.

  • http://www.stlelsewhere.blogspot.com Daron

    I’m glad the Richardson Road bus is back, but I’m sad to see it is still going to drop people off in an inaccessible parking lot. Unless the Richardson Road overpass is reworked to be walkable, getting to that parking lot may get me killed one day.

    As mentioned repeatedly many times over, 61-67 is a much slower moving road with more walkable shoulders and destinations. You can still drop off at that parking lot, but do a loop to turn around: richardson to 61-67 to imperial main and back on the highway heading north.

    I don’t live there now, but I will at some point. So don’t take me too seriously yet. I’ll complain louder later.

  • Patrick Richmond

    I do applaude the #56 going back to the way it used to be well before the service cuts in 2009. The #57 Manchester is being rerouted to have all runs pull into the Maplewood Manchester station because of some of the former management decided to trash up the origional designs of the station which would have called for two elevators, just like at Grand. Now incase if we have to borrow buses while we are waiting for ours to be delivered, Oklahoma City has Opus buses that we could borrow. I was also pleased to see that there will be no more tight righthand turns coming off of Northbound Gore onto Eastbound Lockwood. Still, I think that splitting the #49 at the Ballas Transit Center is stupid. And I hope that the Sunday service stays with the Lindbergh and I hope Sunday service will return to the #56.

  • Patrick Richmond

    With the run to Des Peres Hospital, I am not sure how the route is planned to go, but there are some ways to go from the school to the hospital. One is to go either Couch or Geyer up to Adams and west to Ballas, Ballas north to Dougherty Ferry Road, and west on Dougherty Ferry Road to the hospital. Another way would be to pick up Ballas Road at Old Big Bend and up to the hospital via Dougherty Ferry Road. You can take 270 from Big Bend to Dougherty Ferry Road. Now on the West Side of 270, you have Barrett Station Road, and Big Bend itself also joins Barrett Station Road. But from Big Bend or Barrett Station Road, you have to head back east via Dougherty Ferry Road. Out there, there is a bowling alley at Big Bend and Dougherty Ferry Road.

  • nA

    I am an avid and proud metro transit rider. I have had good experience so far barring few incidents which can be neglected but I would like to bring out two items that I think metro needs to provide explanation for.

    1. Why is the temperature turned down to 60s in summer inside metrolink?

    2. Why are some metro employees given preferential treatment by letting them get down at non-metrolink stops? I am talking about only metrolink….somewhere between Union station and grand. I find it frustrating to stop entire metrolink for one passenger!

    3. Metro should use call-a-ride buses instead of regular buses on slow routes.

  • nA

    Also, I am noticing a growing problem lately. Passengers are not being let off the train by the passengers boarding the metrolink. This problem is more prevalent in busy stations like central west end (CWE). I find it hard to digest that highly-educated passengers like in CWE are neglecting the announcements that are made specifically to allow passengers to get off the train prior to boarding.

    I feel that this is just the beginning and can turn into a nuisance as the ridership grows…..

  • robert

    that map is very hard on the eyes it appears that route #210 doesn’t connect to any other bus route(except 40x) or the metrolink

    how can anyone consider this a good idea besides people who think public transportation is nothing more than a way for criminals to invade their neighborhood

  • http://www.nextstopstl.org/ Courtney

    The map is designed to be a rough draft, and designed for public meetings where the planning department can walk riders through the proposals. But, maps were requested so I obliged.

    We are in the process of both reducing the number of stops and redesigning bus stop signs to include more route info.

    The station stop you refer to is getting employees to our MetroLink facility on Ewing. Often the stop is to let operators switch shifts.

    We are changing the size of the bus on some of our routes (smaller buses) and have looked into van fleet for routes, but have not yet determined a cost-efficient means to change up the fleet mid-day. We’ll keep you posted as we experiment with different ways to deliver service in less-dense areas.

    We have heard complaints recently about the trend of passengers getting on before letting people off, and are working on implementing way to change behavior.

    I will bring attention to the temperature controls on MetroLink in the summer.

    I will look into the connections for the #210.

    Thanks!

  • RTBones

    Courtney – just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to respond to all of our collective requests. We may all be jaded and cynical and crotchety, but its just because we care. :)

  • Patrick Richmond

    robert, the #210 does connect to MetroLink and also the #410X. Just because the way the map is drawn doesn’t mean the line doesn’t serve MetroLink. [moderator's note: some of comment edited to stay on topic and away from name calling.]

  • Patrick Richmond

    I say how about take the #17X on the Illinois side of the river and extend it all the way to Highland. Or take over the #14X Highland Express and convert it to all day service. Make the bus run both ways between downtown St. Louis and Highland, Illinois.

  • NN

    Thanks Courtney. We appreciate your response. As RTBones correctly said, I am also one of those readers who cares about Metro and STL!

  • David Prior

    Would like to see bus departure and Metrolink arrivals more coordinated at CWE transfer point. Especially #18 – Taylor.

  • Patrick D. Richmond

    Looking at smaller buses? I know a good one that Okalahoma City has. That is the Opus by Optima bus Corporation. It has overhead windshield wipers, meaning that they run on the top rather than the bottom. Which gives the driver even greater visibility. Almost like UPS has on their trucks.

    Courtney- We all love you. I know that you have worked hard to get the map put together and sometimes the high-ups sometimes pull things to delay you. It’s really isn’t your fault for getting the map up late. I’ve seen the way some of those high-ups behave. One of the co-workers at Metro has even gotten me a job to see to it that the high-ups stay in line. I am not sure what meeting you will be at, but if you are going to the one at St. Louis City Hall, get yourself a bite to eat at the Gateway Center that is accross 14th Street and something to drink. I am going to try to be at that meeting.

  • http://www.nextstopstl.org/ Courtney

    Thanks everyone! I will pass along your comments, and yes, we will be at the City Hall Restoration meeting on May 7. The map was not delayed though Patrick; we put it on line after people like you said you wanted to see it even in its rough draft form. Thanks for all the feedback everyone!

  • Julie

    I am wondering, if you can require 33 to let passengers board since it just sits there for 20 mins. I mean, we all know that STL weather is always in the extremes, too hot or too cold and then being forced to stand when the bus is right there is just rude and irritating. 64 usually lets their passengers on as does 2, and 32 is only there for 5 mins and doesn’t have to worry about that.

    So far only 1 bus driver actually is nice enough to let passengers board but all the other bus drivers refuse to.

    I mean, either the schedule should be changed where its not sitting there for 20 mins every time it arrives at the station or they should be allowing passengers on board the bus.

  • Patrick Richmond

    I went to the meeting and I was thinking, “WHERE’S COURTNEY??” I couldn’t see you. But I saw Jessica. For those who are wondering what MetroBus route #110 is just like I was, it’s the Heege Road bus. I can hardly wait to see the rockin’ activity begin for the first set of routes to be placed back into service. My head boss Jeere Reed was proud about the restoration of service and the tacking on more runs on the #17. He likes the Revias Park ‘n’ Ride lot due to that it REALLY serves him well.

  • Patrick Richmond

    I did notice that there is a bus with the route number of 359. But I still can’t find out head nor tails about what the name of that bus is. Courtney, you have my authority to post the route name. I know that some of those planning guys have a habit of keeping some public info secret. I’ve been volunteering for Metro since 1992. And back then, the name “Metro” hasn’t been thought of yet. I am glad that planning has cut out some of the secrecy on public info.

  • nA

    This is becoming a big concern for me. Why is that I board metro-rail and find it to be cold in Summer? What is the reason? If the driver is feeling hot then he/she should bring that to Metro’s attention than turning down the entire train’s temperature…!

    • http://www.nextstopstl.org/ Courtney

      nA,

      I’ll let the rail team know you are concerned. Operators do not control the temperature of the train – its programmed.

      Samuel,

      I passed along your comment to the Planning Department. Please expect that they will get in touch with you soon to respond. Thanks for your input.

  • samuel

    the 33 dorsett lackland seems to be completely ignored in the restoration..this route does not address the community a large..the day route only & evening only satisfies people that are going to and from work..but not the people who lives in the community. the old route allowed people in the community to go one direction to dorsett and mckelvey..to the business district schnucks store dinning //and return later to the apartment community..now a person that works days.. and may go to schnucks and take a cab home ..the old route better served the apartment community..mostly for the indian community..that may limit knowledge or access to transportaion..please address this problem…SAM