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UPDATE: As of February 19, credit card vending now available also available at Shrewsbury, Airport East, Maplewood, Brentwood, Delmar, Wellston, Rock Road, UMSL-South, and UMSL-North

Now you can use credit cards to purchase MetroLink tickets in Missouri!  Just in time for Mardi Gras.  Metro is now phasing a credit card option into our Missouri MetroLink station ticket vending machines (TVMs).  These TVMs accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover credit cards, including debit cards with these logos.  The following stations now have credit card options:

Airport Main, Central West End, North Hanley, Arch/Laclede’s Landing, Clayton and Civic Center

Not all TVMs at these stations have the credit card option, so look for them.  As a precaution, since this is a newly installed technology, it’s a good idea to have a cash option in case of an emergency.  The rest of the Missouri stations should have access to credit card vending by the end of March.

Here is a quick video demonstration of how to use the credit card option that I took at the Arch/Laclede’s Landing station this afternoon:

Let us know what you think, or if you encounter any problems.

St. Louis Mardi Gras Parade in Soulard.  Photo via prettywar-stl.

Heading to Mardi Gras this weekend!  Us too!  Take Metro shuttles to the Soulard Mardi Gras and avoid the hassles of finding a place to park that isn’t knee-deep in cleared snow and two miles from Broadway.  Saturday, February 13, the Soulard Mardi Gras MetroBus Shuttle will offer round-trip service to the festivities from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

The Soulard Mardi Gras MetroBus Shuttle will run continuously between 14th & Spruce, near the Civic Center MetroLink Station, and 10th Street in Soulard, between Marion & Carroll. Passengers may board or deboard the shuttle at 14th & Spruce and at 10th Street.

The cost of a round-trip shuttle ticket is $5 (cash only). Metro passes and other tickets or transfers are not valid for this shuttle! Regular fares will apply for riding MetroLink, MetroBus or Metro Call-A-Ride to the Soulard Mardi Gras Shuttle pick-up locations.

Shuttle bus tickets will be on sale at the Civic Center MetroLink Station, and other select MetroLink stations, including:

Missouri MetroLink Stations

Shrewsbury-Lansdowne, Brentwood I-64, Clayton, North Hanley, Delmar Loop, Central West End

Illinois MetroLink Stations

East Riverfront, 5th & Missouri, Fairview Heights, Memorial, Swansea, College, Shiloh-Scott

On Saturday, MetroLink will operate rush hour service (trains every 15 minutes) on both the Red and Blue lines. Trains will operate from downtown until approximately 1:00 a.m.

If you plan on taking MetroBus, make note of these planned reoutes:

#30 Soulard

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, left on Chouteau, resume regular route.

Southbound – Regular route to Gravois and I-55 South, left onto I-55 South, exit and left on Arsenal, right on 2nd, right on Utah, right on Broadway, left on Arsenal, resume regular route.

#40 Broadway

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, left on Chouteau, resume regular route.

Southbound – Regular route to Gravois and I-55 South, left on I-55 South, exit and left on Arsenal, right on Broadway, resume regular route.

#99 Downtown Circulator

Regular route to Broadway and Clark, left on Clark, left on 4th, resume regular route.

Regularly scheduled routes will resume following the parade.

Have fun, be careful, and Happy Mardi Gras!

Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) has produced a short video spot showing support for public transit from some of St. Louis’ local personalities…Mike Shannon, Al Hrabosky, Mark Wrighton of Washington University, Zelema Harris of St. Louis Community Colleges, the President of Ameren, Joe Edwards of the Delmar Loop, even Fredbird.  The take-home message: some of us ride transit, but all of us need it.

Watch:

www.metrostlouis.org

We are proud to introduce a new look for the home page of Metro’s official website Metrostlouis.org!

We have been working hard at Metro to redevelop and redesign the Metrostlouis.org website.  The complete rollout of the Phase One of the project includes a redesign of the home page. Note, this new look and feel is only for the homepage. We wanted to provide an easier “dashboard” into the content our riders use the most.  The homepage prominently displays a trip-planning function, schedule and route info for MetroLink, MetroBus and Call-A-Ride, rider alerts, links to our blog and our long-range plan website, and other relevant transit news.

The other big change is the use of Google Transit as our public-facing trip planning application. Many users have preferred the interface and ease of use of Google Transit. Hopefully this change will make it easier for everyone to plan their trips on Metro’s system.  Google Maps also offers transit directions on smart phones, including information on nearby bus stops and earlier and later trip times.

Also note our social media links in the bottom right corner to our official Facebook fan page and Twitter feed. We are encouraging riders to become Fans and Followers to receive rider alert, important info, and provide feedback to Metro.

Phase Two of the new website includes a total re-working and redesign of the interior pages (yes, we know they are ugly and unfriendly; that is why we are working to change that for you!). Not only will the interior pages match the look and feel of the home page, but you also will see the following changes:

• New menu navigation – we feel the site can be better organized
• Many updates to content, including friendlier use of maps and schedules
• More media content to help you use the system
• Rider stories and experiences

The new website should be finished in the next several months.

Now, we want your feedback. Please leave a comment below!

Kids love trains.  I’m pretty sure trains rank up there with puppies, cartoons, giant lollipops and sprinklers.  Why?  Maybe it’s because trains look like giant versions of the toys we played with on wooden tracks.  Trains are fast, big and can whistle!  And they provide a fascinating look into the engineering, mechanical and operating principles of rail transportation.  Metro offers free tours of our MetroLink facility located on Ewing in St. Louis City near Market Street.  What do these tours have to offer students of all ages?

• How do MetroLink trains run?  (Pssst! Through electricity suspended from catenary lines above the tracks.)
• What happens in the train hospital?
• How is the engine of a light rail train different/similar than an automotive combustion engine?
• How do we fix trains when they have problems?  Especially the REALLY big parts.
• How do we clean trains?
• What type of engineering work does it take to design and/or maintain light rail trains?
• How do trains stop? How do we apply the basic principles of friction to stop trains?
• What do all of those buttons do?  How much does the operator “drive” the train?
• How do we keep trains running to over one million miles???

The tour of the MetroLink facility also includes a look into our communication center, where dispatchers keep track of EVERY bus and train on the system.  The MetroLink communication system shows exactly where the train is and how the tracks and other technical components are operating.  It is where they “talk” to the system.  Students can also watch security dispatch monitoring images from cameras we have throughout the system.

MetroLink Training Manager Suzanne Whitehead said tours also focus on other interesting aspects of the operations, like which jobs are required to keep the system running (everyone from engineers to mechanics to operators to computer programmers) and what types of jobs are available for people who want to work in transit.  She also hopes to integrate a scavenger hunt-type activity for riding on MetroLink that pays attention to its mechanical, design and land use features.

And the tours are not just limited to kids…if you’d like to take a tour and find out what light rail is all about, you just need to schedule ahead.  After all, it’s your public transit system.  Come see how interesting it looks from the bottom up.

In addition to the blog and Metro’s official Twitter feed, STLMetro, we are now on Facebook at www.facebook.com/STLMetro. 

Become a fan, leave comments, suggestions for improving service, find out Metro and transit news, share information about Metro with your friends, and engage with other St. Louis transit supporters.   If you have an idea for information you want to share with your friends (what Metro does, how we are funded, etc.), let us know.

As part of Metro’s plan to tell the region about our Moving Transit Forward long-range plan and to gather community feedback, we will be presenting at a series of city council meetings across the region. In case you can’t attend one of our public meetings, or want to find out how public transit affects your city, here is a list of upcoming city council presentations:

View Metro Moving Transit Forward Presentations to City Councils in a larger map

1/26/10 7:00 PM Ferguson
2/1/10 7:00 PM St. John
2/1/10 7:00 PM Brentwood
2/2/10 7:00 PM Rock Hill
2/2/10 7:30 PM Black Jack
2/2/10 7:30 PM Clarkson Valley
2/2/10 7:30 PM Normandy
2/2/10 7:30 PM Pine Lawn
2/2/10 7:30 PM Webster Groves
2/8/10 6:00 PM Uplands Park
2/8/10 7:00 PM Marlborough
2/8/10 7:00 PM Lakeshire
2/8/10 7:00 PM Town and Country
2/8/10 7:15 PM Oakland
2/8/10 7:30 PM Dellwood
2/9/10 6:15 PM Clayton
2/9/10 7:00 PM Crestwood
2/10/10 7:00 PM Country Club Hills
2/10/10 7:30 PM Winchester
2/10/10 7:30 PM Velda City
2/16/10 7:30 PM Vinita Park
2/16/10 7:00 PM Frontenac
2/16/10 7:00 PM Warson Woods
2/16/10 7:30 PM Grantwood Village
2/18/10 7:00 PM Hanley Hills
2/22/10 4:00 PM Ladue
2/22/10 7:00 PM Jennings
2/23/10 4:00 PM St. Louis County
2/23/10 7:30 PM Olivette
2/25/10 TBD Fenton
2/25/10 7:00 PM Bella Villa
3/1/10 7:30 PM Richmond Heights
3/15/10 7:00 PM Breckenridge Hills

Metro engages in two areas of activity: one, transit operations for MetroLink, MetroBus and Metro Call-A-Ride, and two, capital projects.  “Capital” projects are projects that add to the infrastructure of the system – think buses, railroad ties, bridges, and buildings. Major repairs, too, like replacing parts of the track or the overhead catenary system, come out of our capital budget, much of which is funded by grants from the federal government. These projects help maintain the region’s investments by keeping the system running, and through enhancement projects, running better.

The bridge over Vandeventer Avenue, which held two MetroLink tracks and one freight rail track in the Central West End of St. Louis, was 80 years old and falling apart.  Really, it looked like it was physically sagging.   The $5 million replacement project was possible thanks to a federal grant.  Crews began work on December 26, 2009, and the bridge returned to service on December 31.  Watch a time-lapse of the demolition and construction of the Vandeventer Bridge in six days:

(If you can’t see the embedded video, click here.)

The bridge’s makeover will eventually include streetscape enhancements and replacing a crumbling retaining wall, and will be completed in early spring.  In addition to making the bridge safer to carry MetroLink train cars, the project also increased the bridge’s height clearance for automobilies.  This was Metro’s first “Design-Build” project, where Metro works with one contractor to both design and build the project to avoid time delays and added costs.

So the next time you are driving or walking on Vandeventer Avenue, come check it out!

We know everyone is busy. There is a lot of information out there to ingest. So this post is designed to be a 60-second summary (actual time may vary!) of the draft “Moving Transit Forward” plan presentation that we released yesterday.  You’ve got 60 seconds for the future of St. Louis transit, right?  Let’s go.

What is “Moving Transit Forward”?

STL region’s vision for transit restoration, growth and enhancement: 5-year, 10-year, 30-year.

How do we make transit decisions?

The planning team studies land use and regional data on population, employment, travel patterns and projections, and incorporates public input via community workshops, meetings, and websites.

But…East-West Gateway Council of Governments selects projects for design and construction.

Projects must be eligible for federal funding, and must have financial support at local and state level.

Using which criteria will we select projects?

1. Best service for as many people as possible.
2. Cost effective
3. Encourage economic development
4. Help mitigate congestion and pollution
5. Contribute to strength of region’s core

Assumption:

Service restoration and any expansion will require additional financial resources.

THE PLAN

First Step

Service restoration of MetroBus, MetroLink and Call-A-Ride to pre-March 2009 levels

Passenger Amenities and Technology

Smart Cards
Computer-aided dispatch/automated vehicle location (used in CTA’s BusTracker)
More transit centers
Web- and cellphone-based applications

Light-Rail

Potential corridors:

Planning, design, construction requires about 10 years, costs $60 million per mile
Final planning & design phase will determine stations, end points

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

Potential corridors:

Planning, design & construction requires about 5 years and costs approximately $30 million per route
Final planning & design phase will determine stations, end points

Commuter Rail

Potential corridors:

Success depends on federal and state support of high-speed rail initiatives
Costs approximately $20 million per route if federal and state governments build rail infrastructure

How would we fund the plan?

Additional local funding is required for sustaining system, restoration and expansion.
Additional state funding is required to implement full scope of projects.
Federal funding is required for any major expansion project.

When could we see these projects?

1-5 years

1. Service Restoration
2. Planning and engineering for next light rail route
3. Three bus rapid transit routes
4. East-West Gateway selects light rail and BRT routes
5. Passenger amenities and technology

5-10 years

1. One light rail extension constructed and operating
2. Fourth BRT route
3. East-west Gateway selects next options for expansion
4. Additional transit centers

10-30 years

1. Second light-rail alignment
2. Begin planning and engineering phases for third light rail extension

Commuter rail?

Depends on federal and state support for high-speed rail

St. Charles County, Jefferson County, and Madison County, IL?

Depends on intent and funding from these counties

What happens now?

Seek public input through February 2010
Seek Metro Board of Commissioners approval in February 2010
Seek plan adoption from East-West Gateway Board
Final plan recommendation released in March 2010

There you have it. We are still seeking public input on the draft through February, so please check out this the long-range plans’s online survey to give us your feedback on the specifics of the plan.  If you have any questions about the plan, please let us know at blog@nextstopstl.org.

On Monday, January 18, members of the St. Louis community plan to march from Old Courthouse on Market Street to the Powell Symphony Center on Grand Avenue.  Several MetroBuses will be rerouted during this time to accommodate the traffic.  Crowds are expected to gather at the Old Courthouse at 9 a.m., and start marching at 10 a.m., so during this time, MetroBus riders (as well as downtown traffic) should expect delays.  Luckily, since Monday is a national holiday and many people will be off from work or school, we expect less impact on the flow of downtown than on a typical weekday.

Give yourself a little extra time on these bus routes:

#4 Natural Bridge

North and southbound buses will wait out marchers at Jefferson and MLK

#30 Soulard, #32 Wellston, #41 Lee, & #74 Florissant

East and westbound buses will wait out marchers at 14th and MLK

#40 Broadway

Northbound – bus will reroute to Washington Ave at 14th & Spruce
Southbound – bus will wait out marchers crossing Washington at Tucker

#70 Grand

Northbound – (When marchers are on Grand) Regular route to Grand and Lindell, left on Lindell, right on Spring, right on Cass, left on Grand regular route.
Southbound – (When marchers are on Grand) Regular route to Grand and Cass, right on Cass, left on Spring, left on Lindell, right on Grand regular route.

#94 Page

Eastbound – When the route is blocked at any point between Grand and 14th, left on Grand, right on Cass, right on 14th to Civic Center. Wait out marchers crossing 14th at M L King.
Westbound – When the route is blocked at any point between Grand and 14th, use regular route to 14th and Washington, continue north on 14th (wait out marchers crossing 14th at M L King), left on Cass, left on Grand, right on Page regular route.

All MetroBuses and MetroLink run on their regular weekday schedule on Monday.

To all, a happy Martin Luther King Day holiday!