A Visit From Rhythm & Rails (or Twas Music on The Holiday Magic Train)

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Courtney


Twas the weekend before Christmas, and all through the tracks
Many riders were waiting, red cheeks and backpacks
For garland was hung from the overheads with care,
The Holiday Magic Train soon would be there!

Then, out on the platform there arose such a clatter,
We sprang from the bench to see what was the matter.
Toward the open doors we flew like young deer,
Stepped onto the train and rubbed our cold ears.

The twinkling white lights, holiday paper ceiling to floor
Gave the spirit of the holidays to riders on board
And, what did we find, just past the train door,
But a six-piece brass band, snare drum and more.

With a driver whose warm voice did explain
I knew in a moment this must be our train!
Jollier than jelly, his announcements they came,
Introduced the band and called them by name!

“Now Tuba! Now Drum! Now, Trumpet! Now Saxophone!
On, Trombone! On Guitar! On Cymbals! On Sousaphone!
To the end of the alignment! To the end of Red Line!
Now play away! Sing away! And have a good time!”

As warning whistles before the rushing train fly
Sounds of FB Brass Band, did mount to the sky
So all through Red Line the music did play
For happy children and families traveling their way.

And then, on Sunday came more tidings of yule
The strums and the twangs of St. Louis Folk School.
Great musicians of traditional Americans sounds
Played on the Blue Line, Shrewsbury bound.

They strummed on the guitar, they picked the banjo,
They plucked on the fiddle, they played the dobro.
A gaggle of close friends, cheered from the seats,
With the riders aboard, tapping their feet.

The lovers how they drew close! The children how they smiled!
The older riders how they sang along, wide-eyed like a child
All enjoying songs of the St. Louis music scene,
With the snowflakes made up of white fleur-de-lis.

Thank you to KDHX, for all their hard work,
And Sleepy Kitty Arts for their festive artwork,
And FB Brass Band, and their funky good times,
And the Folk School of St. Louis and their folkly twang and rhymes!

Thank you to the operators, mechanics and staff
And most of all the riders who rode, giggled and laughed.
The Holiday Train is over, but not its good cheer,
Rhythm and Rails to St. Louis, and we’ll see you next year.

***

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

Rider Alert: MetroLink Evening Single Track Schedule January 8-10

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Courtney

Metro will operate trains on a single track near the East Riverfront MetroLink Station on January 8, January 9, and January 10, 2012. Starting at 8 p.m. through the end of service Sunday night, Monday night, and Tuesday night, MetroLink will implement single track operations in order to accommodate construction work near the East Riverfront MetroLink Station.

Blue Line trains will ONLY operate from the Shrewsbury Station to the Civic Center Station. Blue Line riders should add 10 minutes to their commutes. Red Line passengers will not be affected.

Westbound Blue Line passengers traveling between the Fairview Heights and the Civic Center MetroLink Stations should board a Red Line train to the Civic Center MetroLink Station to transfer to a Blue Line train.

Eastbound Blue Line passengers traveling between the Civic Center MetroLink Station and the Fairview Heights MetroLink Station should board a Red Linetrain at Civic Center to continue eastbound.

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Resolving to Take Multimodal Transportation in St. Louis, Part Two (Do One Thing a Day)

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Courtney

Riding the bus with Steve Patterson, one of the fellow St. Louis transit supporters I've made friends with along the way.

Does change happen all at once, or little by little, each day? Yesterday, I discussed the first three tips by Margie Warrell in the recent Forbes article “Want to Keep Your Resolutions the Entire Year?” in regards to taking more multimodal transportation in St. Louis. The first three tips focus on inciting change, excitement and momentum, but as we know, real change usually happens gradually, with bumps in the road. The last four tips encourage us to gather ourselves up when we are discouraged, and to keep in mind what is important to us, and to take time to enjoy it.

4. Focus on one major resolution at a time. As Warrell points out, if you try to do everything, sometimes you end up accomplishing nothing. Trying to use more multimodal transportation does not have to mean selling the car, buying a fixed-gear bike, and while you are at it, biking 15 miles to work each way.

Focus on a realistic goal you can attain, and put your energy towards it. If taking transit from your home takes up too much time, try making a goal of biking to a transit center or to a MetroLink station once a week. Or, if you made several New Year’s resolutions, find ways they can complement each other. If you want to lose a few pounds, continue to focus on your weight loss goal, but consider walking or biking as part of your exercise routine.

5. View failures as a temporary setbacks that make your goal meaningful. Often, temporary setbacks and distractions are the nemesis of well-intentioned change, including using public transit, and biking and walking more often. A late bus or flat tire happens from time to time. A rainy day may be an excuse to use a personal vehicle, but it is not reason to give up your resolve.

When setbacks rear their ugly head, take a step back and remember why this is meaningful to you. Do you save money? Do you appreciate the quiet walk to the station? Do you like to read during your ride? Do you believe in walkable, urban development? Do you love and support bike infrastructure? Come back to the mindset and values that inspired you, and reach out for help, if necessary. Local organizations can provide tools and programs to be successful.  Trailnet is featuring an evening pub presentation series on topics like winter bike commuting, and Citizens for Modern Transit offer a Guaranteed Ride Home program for free cab rides home for emergencies.

6. Focus on the process. Remember how many other activities in your life are all about the process – walking a long walk, reading a novel, holding your child, or preparing a home-cooked meal. The amount of joy and fulfillment I gain from these simple activities is often about taking the time and mind to appreciate the moments. Mindfulness, whether it is riding your bike or eating a healthful meal, can keep us in the moment and help motivate and engage us through distraction and obstacles.

If I didn't take the time to enjoy my walk, would I have missed this?

Even on days when the weather is poor and the daylight hours short, I try to look around and appreciate the things I love about taking transit – the quirkiness of some fellow riders, the sense of community, the neighborhoods I travel through, and the smells of fallen leaves and backyard grills on my walk home. I feel very similarly when I choose to ride my bike to the store, or walk home from the market. Taking time to focus on the process reminds me that traveling is not simply getting from Point A to Point B, but so much about the path I take in between.

7. Do One Thing Every Day. To me, this may be the best tip for continuing any resolution, including taking multimodal transportation instead of always using a car. Doing one thing every day makes the exceptional ordinary and habitual, and that is a good thing. Ride your bike down to the local park. Walk home from the grocery store on a pleasantly warm afternoon. If you drive, combine multiple trips into one. Learn how to change a flat on your bike. Buy a warm pair of gloves. Map out a transit trip to the library. Encourage your friends to carpool to the bar. Take the long and winding way home from the bus stop, past your favorite tree. Each day is an opportunity to support alternative transportation, while enjoying your neighborhood, saving some money, or exercising a bit more.

Supporting multimodal transportation in St. Louis is like a lot of other commitments of civic pride. If we strive for perfection, or big, sweeping changes, we may encounter disheartening challenges. But focusing on our values and goals, and paying attention to the process, may just be the wave of change we wish to see in a multimodal St. Louis.

Posted in Transit Benefits, Transit in the Community | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Resolving To Take Multimodal Transportation in St. Louis: Part One

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Courtney

Good to remind myself that I'm part of a larger transit-riding, STL-loving community.

Every year, I resolve to have New Year resolutions. But like many of my fellow well-intentioned human beings, too often I find the “resolve” part of resolutions ending in a mixture of guilt, frustration and general negligence. Resolutions are easy to make, but even easier to break as we creep through January and our daily routines come sneaking up from behind the holiday parties and empty gift boxes.

But January also has a restorative effect, a sentiment of renewal that I hate to ignore. I want to resolve to do something. It feels as much of a part of my winter routine as taking down the stockings and dumping the last of the eggnog down the drain. Some people join gyms, cut back on sweets, and vow to put a few more dollars in their savings accounts. And I bet I’m not the only one out there who resolved to take more multimodal transportation. But we all could use some helpful tools and motivation to support it in St. Louis.

As my friends and colleagues know, I like to take the bus and train. I  enjoy riding my bike. But like many people in our region, living in an environment geared toward automobiles, parking spaces and highways, sometimes it seems easier to find your way via car (if you have that option – sometimes, we don’t). Or, it is easy to get stuck in a comfortable commuting routine, and not taking the time to explore other options, routes and modes. It does take extra planning. It can take extra time. But I believe strongly in the benefits of public transit, both for myself and the community, as do many others in St. Louis.

Yesterday, Forbes Magazine contributor Margie Warrell wrote about seven tips to help keep New Year’s resolutions the entire year, and I think it speaks well for anyone who strives to take multimodal transportation, not just when it is easy and convenient, but as part of our regular routines. How can we encourage each other to use multimodal transportation? How can we keep incorporating it into our lives? In Part One, I’ll take a look at Warrell’s suggestions and break it down for the resolved multimodal transportation user in St. Louis, including myself.

1. Connect to core values. Warrell, first and foremost, suggests making the connection between what we resolve to do and our inner values. For me, this was a pretty easy jump. I believe in diverse neighborhoods where people can live, work and play. I believe in protecting and conserving the environment. I believe in making sustainable use of our choices in infrastructure and development. I believe in living a healthy, active lifestyle, and surrounding myself with my neighbors. So when it’s freezing cold outside and I have to wait for the bus, I will imagine these core values in action, and my part in it.

2. Be specific. Here is where many resolutions live or die, in the details. It’s easy to say you want to lose weight, make more healthful choices, or save money, but it is more difficult to make the consistent choices that sustain that lifestyle change. Warrell suggests writing down specific goals, and tracking your progress. If you want to lose weight, set a time frame and a target goal, and mark your progress each day, through calories, exercise and weight. To encourage more multimodal transportation, set a time frame and specific actions you can take. For example, set a goal to take transit to work 2 days a week, and bike to work once a week. Or 5 times in a month, leave the car at home and take the bus or walk. Make specific goals that allow you some room to experiment, allow for emergencies, and let you establish a more comfortable routine. If you say you want to take transit more often, it doesn’t mean you should never use your car. Instead, set manageable goals to incorporate into your traveling habits. For me, I want to start riding my bike to work (or in conjunction with transit) once every two weeks during cooler months.

3. Design a supportive environment. When it comes to keeping resolutions that involve a change in personal habits, a supportive environment is key. Other people can provide the motivation and resources necessary to keep you going, and to reaffirm your values. Think you won’t make a difference by taking public transit or walking? There are a lot of people out there who think otherwise.

Local organizations
Several local groups and organizations are filled with folks who support and use multimodal transportation, and have plenty of reasons for you to as well. From free breakfasts to happy hours to classes to proms, these organizations create a supportive culture of like-minded transit and bike geeks to help fuel your embraced habits:

Citizens for Modern Transit
Trailnet
City Affair
Great Rivers Greenway
Urban Land Institute – St. Louis

Online Resources
Nothing says “transit-centric” like a dashboard or feed filled with all the latest news in urban and transportation development and multimodal fondness and discussion. Add these to your regular internet browsing (and if I missed your favorite, add it in the comments):

NextSTL
UrbanReviewSTL
Streetsblog
The Atlantic Cities
Human Transit
Transportation Nation
Transport Politic
GOOD Magazine – Transportation
The Infrastructurist
Commute By Bike

Community Resources
Do you like an added push, an external pressure that gets you moving in the morning (or rainy evening)? Consider these options in St. Louis:

Trailnet’s TravelGreen Program
RiderFinders
RCGA’s Green Business Challenge
Citizen for Modern Transit’s Ten Toes Express

There are more out there. Twitter feeds, Facebook friends, forum moderators, coworkers, teachers, personal trainers, and more who can give you the support you need just by talking with people. When I moved back to St. Louis and embraced transit, I was amazed at how many people I met who had that one thing in common with me, and it helped to find others. Tomorrow, in Part Two I’ll talk about the rest of Warrell’s tips for successful resolutions and how they apply to multimodal transportation in St. Louis.

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

Construction Work Near MetroLink Stations Will Affect Evening Commuters

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Patti

Ongoing construction work near two MetroLink stations will affect the evening commute times for some Red Line and Blue Line customers this week.

Metro will operate trains on a single track three nights this week. Starting tonight, January 3, at 8 p.m. through the end of service tonight, Wednesday night, and Friday night, MetroLink will implement single track operations near the Grand or East Riverfront MetroLink Stations.

Blue Line service will be modified to accommodate single tracking. Tonight and tomorrow night, Blue Line trains will ONLY operate from the Forest Park MetroLink Station to the Shrewsbury MetroLink Station.  Blue Line passengers should allow an extra 15 to 20 minutes for their commutes with Red Line customers seeing 5 to 10 minute delays.

On Friday, January 6, Blue Line trains will ONLY operate from the Shrewsbury Station to the Civic Center Station. Blue Line riders should add 10 minutes to their trips. Red Line passengers will not be affected.

Tuesday, January 3 and Wednesday, January 4

Starting at 8 p.m. until the end of service both nights, Red Line trains will operate on a single track through the area of the Grand Boulevard Bridge so contractors can work above the tracks at the Grand MetroLink Station. Red Line and Blue Line customers should plan for longer commute times. Customers are reminded that the Grand MetroLink Station remains closed for construction.

Blue Line trains will only operate from Forest Park MetroLink Station to the Shrewsbury MetroLink Station.

Westbound Blue Line passengers traveling between the Fairview Heights MetroLink Station and the Central West End MetroLink Station should board a Red Line train to Forest Park to transfer to a Blue Line train.

Eastbound Blue Line passengers traveling between the Central West End MetroLink Station and the Fairview Heights MetroLink Station should board a Red Line train at Forest Park to continue eastbound.

Blue Line passengers traveling east of the Forest Park MetroLink Station should plan for 15 to 20 minute delays. Red Line customers can expect delays of 5 to 10 minutes.

Beginning with the 7:21 p.m. westbound Red Line train departing from the Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Station, all westbound trains will be delayed five minutes from the posted schedule times.  For example, the 7:21 p.m. train will depart Shiloh-Scott at 7:26 p.m.

Friday, January 6

Starting at 8 p.m. until the end of service, Red Line trains will operate on a single track at the East Riverfront MetroLink Station to accommodate crews working near the station. Red Line service will not be affected.

Blue Line trains will only operate from the Shrewsbury MetroLink Station to the Civic Center MetroLink Station. Blue Line customers should allow 10 extra minutes for their commutes.

 Westbound Blue Line passengers traveling between the Fairview Heights and the Civic Center MetroLink Stations should board a Red Line train to the Civic Center MetroLink Station to transfer to a Blue Line train.

Eastbound Blue Line passengers traveling between the Civic Center MetroLink Station and the Fairview Heights MetroLink Station should board a Red Line train at Civic Center to continue eastbound.

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MetroLink Expands Service for First Night Event

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Courtney

To accommodate the crowds after the First Night celebration ends at Grand Center tomorrow night, New Year’s Eve, MetroLink will extend eastbound and westbound service. The last shuttle from Grand Center departs for the Union Station MetroLink Station at 12:30 a.m. The shuttles are being operated by the First Night organization.

Please see the times below to help you plan your trip, and use the Passenger Assist Telephone or Metro personnel on the Union Station platform for help. Have a safe and enjoyable New Year’s celebration!

Westbound

Line       Destination  Times at Union Station

Blue      Shrewsbury       12:13 a.m.
Red      Lambert Airport   12:23 a.m.
Blue     Shrewsbury        12:28 a.m.
Red      Lambert Airport    12:32 a.m.
Blue     Shrewsbury        12:45 a.m.
Red      Lambert Airport   12:52 a.m.

Eastbound

Line      Destination  Times at Union Station

Red        Shiloh-Scott       12:09 a.m.
Blue       Fairview Hghts    12:22 a.m.
Red        Shiloh-Scott       12:37 a.m.
Blue       Fairview Hghts    12:42 a.m.
Red        Shiloh-Scott       12:56 a.m.

December 31, 2011 New Year’s Eve: (Saturday schedule)
January 1, 2012 New Year’s Day: Holiday Schedule (Sunday schedule)
January 2, 2012 Monday: (Sunday schedule)

Posted in Transit in the Community | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

RIDER ALERT: Late Night/Early Morning Bus Shuttles Scheduled for MetroLink

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Courtney

Metro will operate special late night/early morning MetroBus shuttles to transport eastbound customers between the Central West End, Union Station, and Civic Center MetroLink Stations during the early morning hours on Dec. 29, Dec. 30 and Dec. 31, 2011. Eastbound MetroLink passengers should allow an extra 10 to 15 minutes for their commutes.

Passengers will get off the last four eastbound trains at the Central West End Station at 12:35 a.m., 12:49 a.m., 1:05 a.m., and 1:19 a.m. and board a MetroBus to continue eastbound to the Union Station MetroLink Station and to the Civic Center Station.

The last four eastbound trains on MetroLink’s service schedule are being taken out of service at the Central West End Station so the contractor constructing the new Grand Boulevard Bridge can work above the MetroLink tracks at the Grand MetroLink Station.

Westbound MetroLink service will not be affected because all westbound trains will have cleared the area before the overhead construction work begins.

 

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January 9, 2012 Service Update Coming to #8 Bates Morganford, #80 Park Shaw and #180 Russell Shuttle

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Courtney

In response to customer feedback, Metro is modifying the quarterly service changes implemented on November 28. Customers can expect a return to pre-November changes for the #8 and #80, with expanded service.

The primary issue Metro is responding to regards a loss of service along Russell Boulevard between Grand Boulevard and Gravois Avenue and the re-direction of the #8 Bates Morganford to the Central West End station.

The following changes will provide continuous service in the McKinley Heights neighborhood along Russell Boulevard, including direct access to the Civic Center MetroLink Station. Effective on January 9, 2012:

#80 Park Shaw will provide a new direct connection from the Shaw Neighborhood to the Central West End MetroLink Station, while preserving access along that route to the Civic Center MetroLink Station. Service will operate every 40 minutes during rush hour and hourly during non-rush hour. Preview: Schedules, Map and Turning Directions.

#8 Bates Morganford will return to its routing prior to November 28, 2011, providing direct access from the Morganford corridor to Downtown St. Louis via the Civic Center MetroLink Station. Service will operate every 40 minutes during rush hour and hourly during non-rush hour. Preview: Schedules, Map and Turning Directions.

Service to The Hill neighborhood will operate as an hourly shuttle serving Shaw Boulevard, Macklind Avenue and Southwest/Vandeventer.

Metro will continue to monitor service performance and customer feedback, and will respond by providing the most effective service plan within our financial resources.

 

Posted in System Changes | Tagged , , , | 27 Comments

St. Louis Receives Federal Support for Archgrounds Redevelopment Project

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Courtney

U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill speaks, along with U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, MODOT Director Kevin Keith, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and U.S. Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar came to town yesterday to announce St. Louis has been awarded $20 million in federal grant money for pedestrian and roadway improvements as part of  the Archgrounds redevelopment project.  Salazar and LaHood were joined by U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, Congressman Russ Carnahan, Congressman Lacy Clay, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and others in the rotunda of the Old Courthouse.

The grant, in addition to funds from local sources and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT), will help pay for a lid across Interstate 70 connecting downtown St. Louis to the Archgrounds. Kevin Keith, director of MODOT, said the lid project will cost $70 million and construction could begin next year.

All of yesterday’s speakers reiterated the job creation potential of the Archgrounds project, and pointed to the ArchCityRiver 2015 vision as a model of public-private partnerships for big projects in America. “There is not enough money in government. We need business to step up,” said LaHood. “And we see this as a model of a comprehensive public/private partnership.” According to LaHood, the Department of Transportation was looking for innovative, creative ideas with a local match, and St. Louis was one of only four projects chosen for the $20 million grant, the largest amount awarded. “It’s a holiday gift for St. Louis,” joked LaHood.

Salazar illustrated the historical and cultural importance of the Archgrounds area, nestled against the third largest river in the world, the Mississippi. “The CityArchRiver project is one of the 100 most important conservation projects for this administration,” Salazar said.

McCaskill, Carnahan and Clay also expressed their leadership and dedication to the project and the jobs and tourism it will bring to St. Louis.

As the operator of the Gateway Arch trams and Gateway Riverboats, Metro is a partner in the CityArchRiver 2015 project, and will provide future posts and updates about the redevelopment of the Archgrounds.

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RIDER ALERT: Single Track Operations at Grand and East Riverfront Stations

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Courtney

UPDATE: East Riverfront Station single-track operations is cancelled for Wednesday, Dec. 21. Grand Bridge single track will continue as scheduled.

In order to accommodate construction near two MetroLink Stations, Metro will operate trains on a single track three evenings this week. Tonight, tomorrow night, and Friday night, beginning at 8 p.m. through the end of service each night, MetroLink will implement single track operations near the Grand and/or East Riverfront MetroLink Stations.

Blue Line service will be modified to accommodate single tracking. Tonight, Blue Line trains will only operate from the Civic Center MetroLink Station to the Shrewsbury Station. Tomorrow night and Friday night, Blue Line trains will only operate from the Forest Park MetroLink Station to the Shrewsbury MetroLink Station.

Tuesday, December 20
Starting at 8 p.m. until the end of service, Red Line trains will operate on a single track at the East Riverfront MetroLink Station. Red Line service will not be affected.

Blue Line customers should allow 10 extra minutes for their commutes.Blue Line trains will only operate from the Shrewsbury MetroLink Station to the Civic Center MetroLink Station.

Wednesday, December 21
Starting at 8 p.m. until the end of service, Red Line trains will operate on a single track through the areas near the Grand Boulevard Bridge. Blue Line trains will only operate from Forest Park MetroLink Station to the Shrewsbury MetroLink Station.  Red Line and Blue Line customers should plan for longer commute times.

Beginning with the 7:21 p.m. westbound Red Line train departing from the Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Station, all westbound trains will be delayed five minutes from the posted schedule times.  For example, the 7:21 p.m. train will depart Shiloh-Scott at 7:26 p.m.

Friday, December 23
Starting at 8 p.m. until the end of service, Red Line trains will operate on a single track through the area of the Grand Boulevard Bridge. Red Line and Blue Line customers should plan for longer commute times.

Blue Line trains will only operate from Forest Park MetroLink Station to the Shrewsbury MetroLink Station.  

Blue Line passengers traveling east of the Forest Park MetroLink Station should plan for 15 to 20 minute delays. Red Line customers can expect delays of 5 to 10 minutes.

Beginning with the 7:21 p.m. westbound Red Line train departing from the Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Station, all westbound trains will be delayed five minutes from the posted schedule times.  For example, the 7:21 p.m. train will depart Shiloh-Scott at 7:26 p.m.

Posted in Capital Projects | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments