Soulard Mardi Gras Parade: All You Need to Know to Go Transit

Posted on February 22, 2011 by Courtney

Planning on exercising your zeal for beads and beignets this year at the Soulard neighborhood’s March 5th Mardi Gras Parade and festivities?  Leave your car at home and get on board transit.  Metro will operate a shuttle from 14th and Spruce near the Civic Center Transit Center to 10th Street and Marion Street, with additional MetroLink service and necessary adjustments to MetroBus routes.
View Soulard Mardi Gras MetroBus Shuttle in a larger map

MetroLink

On Saturday, March 5th, MetroLink will operate a modified schedule for Mardi Gras.

15 minute service will be provided  from 8:30AM until 10:00PM west of the Forest Park Station to Airport Main, west of the Forest Park Station to the Shrewsbury Station, and east of the Fairview Heights Station to the Shiloh-Scott Station.

7.5 minute service will be provided from 8:30AM until 10:00PM between the Forest Park and the Fairview Heights MetroLink Stations.

The last eastbound train from the Civic Center Station to the Shiloh-Scott Station will depart at 11:38PM.

The last eastbound train from the Civic Center Station to the Fairview Heights Station will depart at 12:38AM.

The last westbound train from the Civic Center Station to the Shrewsbury Station will depart at 12:06AM.

The last westbound train from the Civic Center Station to Airport Main will depart at 12:21AM.

MetroBus

MetroBus Mardi Gras Shuttles will operate from the Civic Center MetroLink Station to Soulard from 9:00AM until 11:00PM.

Cost: $5 (Children under 5 ride free)
Route: Civic Center MetroLink Station to Soulard only
Purchase tickets at the following stations: Shiloh-Scott, College, Swansea, Memorial, Fairview Heights, 5th and Missouri, East Riverfront, Shrewsbury, Brentwood, Clayton, North Hanley, Delmar Loop, Central West End and the Civic Center.

MetroBus Reroutes
In addition to the reroutes, expect some delay on these routes due to heavy traffic.

Taking MetroBus to parade? The following bus routes will all take passengers to Tucker and Lafayette.  Walk 4 blocks east to Soulard Park.

8 – BATES MORGANFORD – During Parade
Eastbound – Regular route to Russell and Gravois, left on Gravois into Tucker regular route.
Westbound – Regular route to Tucker and 12th, continue on Tucker into Gravois, right on Russell regular route.

30 – SOULARD – During Parade
Northbound – Regular route to northbound on Broadway and Arsenal, left on Arsenal, right on 13th, immediate left onto I-55 north, exit at Gravois, right on Gravois into Tucker, left on Chouteau regular route.
Southbound – Regular route Chouteau and Tucker, right on Tucker into Gravois, left on I-55 south, exit and left on Arsenal, right on 2nd, right on Utah, right on Broadway, left on Arsenal regular route.

40 – BROADWAY – During Parade
Northbound – Regular route to Broadway and Arsenal, left on Arsenal, right on 13th, immediate left onto I-55 north, exit at Gravois, right on Gravois into Tucker, right on Market, left on 4th regular route.
Southbound – Regular route Broadway and Market, right on Market, left on Tucker into Gravois, left on I-55 south, exit and left on Arsenal, right on Broadway regular route.

73 – CARONDELET Beginning of Service to end of Service
Northbound – Regular route to Lemp and Arsenal, right on Arsenal, left on 13th, immediate left onto I-55 north, exit at Gravois, right on Gravois into Tucker regular route.
Southbound – Regular route to Tucker and 12th, continue into Gravois, left on I-55 south, exit and right on Arsenal, left on Lemp regular route.

Follow any updates to special service here and on Metro’s Twitter feed, @STLMetro.

Posted in Making Transit Easy, Transit in the Community | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Grand Bridge Construction – What’s in Store for Metro Transit Riders

Posted on February 18, 2011 by Courtney
Grand MetroLink Station, as seen from the current bridge.

Current Grand MetroLink Station.

The City of St. Louis is replacing the Grand Bridge.  Although the City has not yet set the official start date, at last report they were looking at mid-March. Regardless of when the bridge is torn down, we do know the project will take 18-24 months.  Here’s how the construction project may affect your commute:

MetroLink

During select weekends especially at the beginning of the project, there will be no MetroLink service between the Central West End and the Union Station MetroLink Stations. During this time buses will transport customers in a bus bridge. Metro will alert customers in advance of these events.

For the first 2-3 weeks of the Bridge demolition, customers who normally use the Grand MetroLink Station will need to board and deboard at the Union Station MetroLink Station to connect with the #70 Grand bus to access areas surrounding the Grand MetroLink Station.

MetroBus

The #70 Grand will be rerouted to the Union Station MetroLink Station during the temporary closures of the Grand MetroLink Station. Customers will need to use the #70 Grand bus to reach destinations surrounding the Grand MetroLink Station.

For the entire 18-24 month construction period, customers traveling on the #70 Grand, #58X Twin Oaks Express and #410 Eureka Express may need to make changes to their commute.

New Grand Avenue and Scott Avenue Transit Plaza

The new Grand Bridge will feature wider, ADA-compliant sidewalks, bus pullouts, and spacious wind and rain shelters for transit riders. The Grand MetroLink Station will also undergo a susbstantial redesign that will transform the station into the Scott Avenue Transit Plaza with seating, a vending area, attractive fencing, improved lighting and a 58-space park-ride lot.

For complete details on the project, visit the Grand Avenue Bridge project page. Nextstop will continue to highlight upcoming dates and service changes.

St. Louis Metro Transit Grand Bridge Project Brochure March 2011

Download the pdf version of this brochure.

Posted in Capital Projects, Transit in the Community | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

Metro COO Ray Friem on New MetroBus Emissions Technology & Real-Time Bus Tracking

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Courtney

Nextstop readers have asked in recent comments about the fuel and emissions technology of the new low-floor buses that Metro is putting into service and will continue take delivery of over the next several years.  During this week’s STLToday.com Metro Live Chat, Chief Operating Officer Ray Friem answered questions about the new buses:

The buses are ULS Diesel (Ultra-Low Sulfur), and they are equipped with state of the art emissions systems that meet the next generation of proposed emissions standards (as we currently understand them). The bus will deliver improved fuel economy, and the emissions system burns particulates, and has a special urea injection system resulting in lower NOx (nitrogen oxides) emissions from these buses than the current Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology. NOx is probably the leading pollutant in the St. Louis region and is one of the key elements of the few Red air quality days the region experiences. To help manage through [the fuel market], Metro maintains an aggressive fuel hedging program which doesn’t entirely insulate us from fuel prices, but at least smooths out the price spikes.

As for choices of fuel technology, we have already discussed the merits of the existing diesel emissions technology. Word is that the urea system on this bus will be deployed in future CNG buses to reduce NOx emissions from those as well. With comparable emissions results, the choice comes down to two factors; range and life-cycle cost. The CNG buses are approximately 25% more expensive to purchase, and about 20% more expensive to maintain over the life of the bus. This is offset in part by somewhat lower (by today’s standards) fuel costs. As for range, many buses need to go in excess of 450 miles between daily fuelings. On the smaller buses, there simply isn’t the room for fuel storage tanks to meet this requirement. This technology is advancing as well, and we will keep an eye on it for future applications.

Friem also spoke about another popular topic, GPS bus tracking and its implications for passengers:

The entire fleet should be equipped with a GPS system by the end of 2013. The system, which we call the Automatic Vehicle Locator (AVL) system will allow for more efficient scheduling of the system (monitoring of bus to bus or bus to rail connections most specifically). Once that project is complete, Metro will start another project to take that data and make it available to customers in real time format through cell phone and digital applications. That should really make the system more user friendly.

Thank you to everyone who completed the “How to Encourage Others to Try MetroBus” survey posted last week.  Over 200 people responded, with 84 taking time to add write-in comments on specific strategies to increase bus ridership.  Great job everyone!  Next week, Nextstop will post a comprehensive review of the survey results, and what steps Metro can take to get more people on board with buses.

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Transit in the Community | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Instructional Rider Alerts Out On MetroLink and MetroBus to Help Educate Passengers

Posted on February 16, 2011 by Courtney

If you have ridden MetroLink or MetroBus recently, you might have seen a series of new rider alerts aimed at educating passengers on what to do in case of an emergency on a bus or train. The posters are part of an ongoing campaign to help educate passengers, first responders like police and fire, and community and federal partners on how to handle an emergency on Metro.

The series of rider alerts include information on what to do in an emergency occurring on a MetroLink train, on a station platform, in a MetroLink tunnel, during a MetroLink delay, or on a MetroBus. In addition to the posted passenger alerts, our Safety and Customer Service departments distribute emergency guideline brochures to customers who request schedules, to MetroBus operators, at the Metro Ride store, and to first-responders as part of emergency training with the fire and police departments.

You might also see ongoing information to better educate Metro riders on how certain aspects of the system operate. Examples of posted information include how MetroLink platform heaters work, the purpose of platform barrier testing, and soon to be posted, information on how the door release buttons operate on MetroLink trains.

Metro will continue to post rider alerts that highlight system functionality over the coming months.  The alerts are designed to educate passengers and alleviate questions and concerns submitted to Customer Service.

Have you seen the Emergency Response or Instructional Rider Alerts?  What other information would you post to help educate passengers?

Posted in Making Transit Easy, Transit in the Community | Tagged , | 2 Comments

MetroBus Riders’ Sweet Valentine Delivery: 10 New Low-Floor Buses

Posted on February 14, 2011 by Courtney

MetroBus riders received a sweet Valentine’s Day Delivery today: 10 new low-floor MetroBus were unveiled at an event at the Brentwood Garage.  Metro Chief Operating Officer – Transit Ray Friem spoke today about the new buses, which include many features that increase passenger safety, comfort and accessibility, as well as reduces emissions, and improves route planning and maintenance.

The newest additions to the MetroBus fleet are 35 foot buses built by the Gillig Corporation of Hayward, California.  Metro will take ownership of 50 buses this year and 51 next year. Funding for the new buses comes from a Federal Transit Administration grant for transit vehicle replacement, and Metro’s goal is to replace buses in the fleet as they reach 15 years in service.

Superintendent of MetroBus Operation Janis Shetley inside one of the new buses.

These new buses also include GPS location software and the latest electronic dispatch technology to track vehicles for safety, efficiency and better route planning.

Ten of the new 35-foot American-made buses will run in Missouri; the next seven 40-foot vehicles off the assembly line will go to St. Clair County Transit to upgrade their fleet.  New features include:

Willie Kimbrough of Paraquad demonstrates the wheelchair ramp.

  • Low floor with wheelchair ramps and kneeling features to make it easier to board
  • Specially designed areas accommodate two wheelchairs per bus and can be used by other customers in the absence of wheelchairs
  • Hanging straps
  • Blue floors
  • LED lights on the interior and exterior of the bus
  • Seating allows for increased aisle space and more ergonomic design
  • Equipped with latest computer-aided dispatch technology to track the vehicles for safety, efficiency and better route planning
  • Six-camera system on each MetroBus vehicle to monitor passengers, the driver and the road
  • Latest electronic control and emissions technology
  • Urea is injected into exhaust stream to reduce emissions
  • Stainless steel frames with aluminum panels are crash and corrosion resistant
  • Average cost per vehicle: $377,000

Willie Kimbrough of Paraquad and the Executive Director of the St. Louis Area Agency on Aging Dave Sykora spoke at unveiling the about the new buses’ features that benefit the senior and disabled MetroBus riders, including the low-floor, “kneeling” action of the buses to avoid climbing stairs and the on-board wheelchair ramp.

More photos:

The new buses will roll into service starting next week.  Let us know if you see one on your route!

Posted in Inside Metro, Moving Transit Forward | Tagged , , , , | 17 Comments

On-Duty MetroBus Operator Hero Helped Rescue Family of Six From Burning Home

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Courtney

MetroBus operators do a lot of good for the community, getting people to work and around town.  But MetroBus Operator Brian Alexander went way beyond the call of duty recently when he risked his own life by going a burning home to help rescue a family of six from a house fire in East St. Louis, Illinois during one of his morning runs.

On the morning of Saturday, February 5 at approximately 6:55 a.m., Operator Alexander, 49, turned on the corner of 16th and Tudor in East St. Louis as part of his #4 19th and Central-MLK MetroBus route. He spotted smoke coming out of a home on that block. As he pulled up to the house, he saw flames coming out of the first floor windows. He called into Metro’s communications center, who contacted emergency services. Alexander then parked the bus and went toward the burning building. A young man stepped out of the house, coughing and grasping for breath. Alexander asked if there were other people inside. The young man nodded and they went around to the back of the house. The young man went in and carried out two small children and a young girl followed. Alexander asked if there were other people inside, and the man indicated his girlfriend and baby were still inside. Alexander went inside the burning building to locate the girlfriend and baby.

Alexander said the house was filled with smoke and he could not see very well, but he could hear the baby crying. He felt his way to the bedroom, and grabbed the arm of the young mother and led her and the baby outside.  Alexander waited until the police and fire showed up and then finished his route.

Alexander has been driving with MetroBus for the past six years, and served six years in the U.S. Army and National Guard. He has four children and six grandchildren ranging from 9 years old to 4 months. His friends call him “Pontiac” because he restores vintage Pontiacs as a hobby. Alexander said he doesn’t consider himself a hero. He said, “I couldn’t have lived with myself if I’d heard that someone didn’t make it out of the fire, as you often hear with these tragic fires.” Alexander understands this personally, as he went through a house fire in 2004, and though everyone got out safely, he lost his home. He thought a lot about that moment on Saturday, and said it propelled him to make sure if everyone was out of the building.

MetroBus Operator Brian Alexander will receive an award for heroism from the City of East St. Louis during tonight’s City Council Meeting. He will also receive a Proclamation of Heroism from Metro. We want to congratulate Alexander on his selfless actions, and though he does not consider himself as such, he is a true hero and inspiration.

Posted in Inside Metro, Transit in the Community | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Readers Ask: Can Passengers Board Bus During Layovers?

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Courtney

Recently, several NextStop commentors asked about Metro’s official policy regarding letting passengers board the bus during the time between when the bus arrives at the station and departs for the next run. Janis Shetley, the Superintendent of MetroBus Operations, clarified the official policy for us: MetroBus passengers do have the option to board the bus during layovers at transit centers.

Ms. Shetley requests that anyone who has a specific complaint about not being allowed to board the bus to please note the route, time and destination, report to NextStop or Customer Service, and bus supervisors will work with operators individually.

Hope this provides some clarification for passengers, and thank you for riding and providing feedback.

Posted in Inside Metro, Making Transit Easy | Tagged , | 11 Comments

Encouraging More People to Take Buses – What Can We Do?

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Courtney

Transit in St. Louis is a multi-modal affair: we have both buses and light rail to move citizens around the region.  We do know, however, that some people use light rail and are very supportive of transit in general, but do not take buses.  Some people cite a lack of knowledge about the routes, purchase fare, or even how to signal a stop.  But transit works as a system, with bus and rail working together to transport people throughout the region.

Many of the contributors and readers of NextStop are fans and users of the bus system, and we want to tap into your perspective as riders. How would you encourage more people to try and use MetroBus? We want you to fill out the survey and we value your feedback. New ideas are also welcome as NextStop will continue to highlight efforts to expand public transit use in St. Louis.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world’s leading questionnaire tool.

Posted in Making Transit Easy, Metro Riders, Moving Transit Forward | Tagged , , | 30 Comments

East-West Gateway Wants Your Input on the Future of Transportation in St. Louis

Posted on February 4, 2011 by Courtney

East-West Gateway Council of Governments is currently developing the region’s next long-range plan, Regional Transportation Plan 2040.  According to East-West Gateway, the purpose of the Transportation Plan is to “set forth a regional policy and planning framework to guide decision-making regarding the growth and development of St. Louis region.”  The Transportation Plan 2040 will be aided by the Renewing the Region Initiative, which identified ten guiding principles for the long-term growth of St. Louis.

What does that mean for public transit riders and supporters? East-West Gateway is looking for input from St. Louis community members on their priorities for transportation maintenance and growth.  The survey asks responders to weigh in on the current public transportation system, accessibility, bike facilities, traffic, commuting patterns, etc.  The answers they receive will help guide the priorities outlined in the Transportation Plan 2040.

There are a number of ways you can provide feedback on the future of our regional public transportation:

1.  Fill out the online survey.

2.  East-West Gateway will be hosting several focus groups on the future of transportation. Each focus group will accommodate up to 15 people and is scheduled for one hour. They recommend giving an RSVP in advance at www.ewgateway.org/lrp or to Roz Rodgers at roz.Rodgers@ewgateway.org or 314-421-4220/618-274-2750.

You can read the current transportation plan here.  Thanks for giving your feedback on the future of transportation planning in St. Louis.

Posted in Economic Development, Transit in the Community, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Metro Transit Service Update February 3, 2011

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Courtney

MetroLink is running a normal schedule this morning.  MetroBus may experience some delays due to road conditions, moving towards normal weekday schedule.  Thank you for all of your patience during this winter weather, and thank you for riding transit.

Posted in Making Transit Easy, Moving Transit Forward | Tagged , , , | Comments Off