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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!

I’m sorry sir, but would you mind turning your music down?  I’m trying to ride transit here.

By definition, public transit is a common space, a place where people of all backgrounds come together to travel.  It’s such a cross-section of ages and backgrounds brought together, sharing a space without directly interacting, that psychology researchers routinely use public transit to observe human behavior patterns. Transit riders travel together, but they usually aren’t directly interacting with other. Of course, that changes when people are rude, disruptive or lack courtesy. We share a common rider experience, and a few bad apples can seriously ruin someone’s trip.

Following in the example of New Jersey Transit and NYC’s MTA, Metro has launched an ad campaign, “Respect Your Ride”, on our MetroBuses and MetroLink station platforms and elevators to help remind people to be mindful of other riders and to curb undesirable behavior. The posters also include the phone number for Passenger Assistance in case riders want to report a problem.

It’s difficult to govern other people’s behavior, especially if they don’t realize that they are being bad fellow riders.  But we can bring it to their attention.

“Loud Music is Loud”

Sometimes its difficult to gauge this, but the rule of thumb for me is if other people can clearly hear what you are listening to, it is too loud. Even if you are listening with headphones. Not everyone is going to share your taste in music, and some people like to read and relax while riding. Or sleep. Or just not listen to your music.  The same goes for loud and obnoxious speaking aloud and on a cell phone.

“Foul Language is Offensive”

We all know foul language can be offensive. But curses words or choice phrases can seem aggressive and confrontational as well. No one wants to experience that from fellow riders. If it would make Grandma blush, its not appropriate to share on public transit. And if you are saying it aloud on transit, you are sharing it with everyone.

“Undercover Officers on Board”

This sign is to remind riders that Metro partners with St. Louis City and County to have undercover police presence on the system to deter illegal or disruptive activity.

“Public Urination is Illegal”

Saved the best for last. These signs will only hang in MetroLink elevators, where public urination has been a particular problem. The elevator not a private place to relieve onself; they are actually heavily monitored. In addition to the signs, every elevator has a camera linking back to our communications dispatch center, and have a speaker that security can engage to talk to the perpetrator. Public urination in elevators is a significant issue since individuals who cannot take the stairs must use the elevators to reach street level.

Another reason to focus on quality-of-life issues for riders is that it help make public transit more efficient. Problems like these direct resources for customer service, security, and maintenance away from other issues. Courteous behavior encourages more discretionary riders to take transit. It’s a win-win for Metro and our riders.

As a transit user, I find my trips in St. Louis are mostly calm. During the peak times of the day, both MetroLink and MetroBus are fairly quiet. But we all have stories too. Jennifer mentioned that feet on her seat was a real pet peeve. @u2acro on Twitter said she hates it when people take up two seats with their bag/person when people are looking to sit down. Whatever your pet peeve, the ads will hopefully remind people that when you keep other riders in mind and act with respect and courtesy, you are a better public transit rider.  Will everyone listen?  No.  But we hope that many will.

It’s that time of year in St. Louis – INCLEMENT WEATHER!  St. Louis weather is notoriously fickle, jumping from a blustery chill to warmer temperatures in a matter of days.   Metro Transit Operations has to be ready for the worst wintery weather, including snow and ice, and all of the slushy, slippery and wet conditions that follow.  The following actions go into preparing the system for snowy weather:

Sidewalks, platforms, and parking lots

Maintenance crews are mobilizing to remove snow and ice from sidewalks, parking areas, and MetroLink platforms. We keeps large containers of salt on platforms for easy application. Locations with the highest number of passengers receive priority attention, but Metro addresses needs at all locations.

Keeping MetroLink running

MetroLink trains operate on steel rails and are powered by electricity delivered by wires above the trains. Heavy ice and snow buildup on the rails and wires make operation difficult or impossible. Wires in locations prone to ice build-ups already have been protected by the installation of wire caps designed to minimize electrical faults caused by wet weather. The trains are also equipped with heated, ice-cutting mechanisms that use a hard surface to cut through any ice or snow that collects on the overhead wires. Using the ice cutters require the trains to reduce their top speed to 45 mph from the normal 55 mph. If the tracks get too slippery, boxes inside the train will drop sand onto the rails to increase friction.

Metro will run the trains all night to keep the tracks and wires clear of snow and ice build-up, but will not carry passengers after the regular weekday schedule ends.

Delay for MetroBus routes

If roads become icy and slippery, expect some delays on MetroBus routes. Just like other vehicles, they are subject to poor road conditions during snowy weather, and may take longer to reach riders.

Snow schedules for Metro Call-A-Ride

Call-A-Ride passengers should turn to TV and radio news to find out whether a snow schedule is implemented for paratransit service. Expect delays of up to two hours behind a scheduled trip if the snow schedule is in effect.  Metro Call-A-Ride passengers who think they may want to cancel a scheduled trip are urged to do so as soon as possible

Travel home safely

Snowy weather is beautiful, even as it wrecks havoc on St. Louis transportation. Just remember to dress warmly and be safe out there as everyone is heading home and traveling through our first snowfall of 2010.

In the not-too-distant past, if you wanted to figure out when the bus was coming, you had to carry a paper schedule.  Now we have smartphones. Thanks to the combination of the third-party software development kit for iPhones and open data feeds from transit agencies, developers across the world have created unique and functional transit applications for the iPhone.  These apps range from the highly useful schedule information and bus tracking to the more playful, including an app that wakes you before your transit stop. Blackberry and Android developers are in on the game as well, and we hope to see more apps developed for St. Louis for these platforms.

UPDATE: Send reviews via email to blog@nextstopstl.org or leave in comments by February 1, 2010.

A MetroBus headed east on Natural Bridge approaching Grand Avenue was in an accident just before 8:00 this morning.  The bus driver and six of the 16 passengers on board the bus were transported to area hospitals.  According to officials at the scene, the driver apparently lost consciousness and collided with parked vehicles.  Several cars were damaged from the impact. One of the passengers on the bus was a former MetroBus driver.  She was able to apply the brake and bring the vehicle under control.

The driver, who has been a bus operator for nearly 21 years, is still hospitalized.  The former driver who stopped the bus was released after being treated for her injuries.  St. Louis Police reported bus passengers reported minor injuries.

Congratulations to the Vandeventer Bridge demolition and construction team…the bridge is now open to MetroLink service between the Central West End and Grand stations.  It opens today, three days ahead of schedule.

The $5-million project to replace the 80-year-old bridge is due to a federal grant for transit capital projects.  The bridge had a number of structural defects, including cracks and settling problems:

Vandenventer Bridge before construction

The bridge had settling problem, as shown above

The bridge received a number of structural and cosmetic updates, and opens today at 3pm for MetroLink service.  Vandeventer Avenue will open by the end of January, and the bridge project will be completed in early spring with a new retaining wall and streetscape updates.

Vandeventer Bridge, December 31, 2009

The bridge is able to open ahead of schedule because demolition took less time than expected, cranes were able to lift the catenary rather than remove it, and Metro employees worked alongside constractors to finish the project as quickly as possible.

MetroLink service will operate under normal weekday hours, and will extend to 1 a.m. in the morning to accommodate Convention and First Night crowds.

Congratulations to head of Metro’s Engineering Department, Chris Poehler, Vera Cavato, Project Manager for the Vandeventer Bridge project, and the entire team. Special thanks go to Metro employees who volunteered to help with the bus bridge.

From all of us, please have a safe and wonderful New Year’s celebration!

Happy Holidays to everyone!  Please don’t think that I have forgotten about the holiday train.  We had an overwhelmingly positive response, from the hashtag #stlholidaytrain on Twitter (I Tweet under the handle @STLTransit; Metro’s official feed is @STLMetro), to the emails and blog posts we received.:

Hi, my name is Adam, and I am a student at Wash U.  I just read about the possible Metro Holiday train this year.  I think this is a great idea, and I urge Metro give public transit users the joy of holiday-themed travel.
Adam H.
Washington University 2012

I would just LOVE a holiday train!!! Will you pleeeease make it happen! It would be so wonderful.
Lori E. W.

As an advocate for public transportation and an avid cyclist, I would definitely appreciate a Holiday Train as part of the Metrolink in St. Louis. The train can bring a vibrant spirit to the passengers and encourage shared use of our beloved light rail system. I suspect others in the St. Louis area would experience joy, community, and a little ridiculousness from the addition of a holiday train. It might just be the transit of the season. If I needed to warm up with some holiday cheer, I would certainly hope I could stand on a platform, with a look of longing down the tracks, eagerly awaiting the sounds and sights of a decked out Metrolink Holiday Train. I would ride that from Lambert to Shiloh-Scott and back again…with a valid pass or transfer in hand, obviously. I might even decorate my bicycle to match.

Thank you for listening. Happy Holidays and much transit love,
Rachel

After speculating on all the details of pulling it together (looking at the window and ceiling specs for lights, running times, added security) we realized we need time and sponsorships to put together a great holiday train.  One thing is clear from your responses and from examples in other cities: holiday trains can be a really magical experience for transit riders.  We want to make that happen for St. Louis.  And remember, no matter what the future brings, the Holiday Train will not take money away from transit service operations.

So thank you for all of your emails, blog posts, tweets and thoughts.  You inspired and excited many people here at Metro, including myself, and we will be working to bring you the best holiday train that we can in 2010.  Some people here spend every day with riders; others’ jobs keep them working behind the scenes.  But comments, emails, Tweets like these…they are wonderful reminders of the people and things we work for every day.

We wish a warm and happy holidays for all of our readers and riders.  We wish safe travels for everyone!

From Saturday, December 26 at 9:00 a.m. – Sunday, January 3, MetroLink riders will use a bus bridge to go from the Central West End to the Grand MetroLink stations.  MetroLink service between these stations will be interrupted for the demolition and construction of the Vandeventer Bridge.  The elderly bridge is in disrepair and suffering from settling problems.  Automobile and pedestrian traffic was closed on Vandeventer Avenue near the bridge starting December 7, and construction will continue until early spring.  Regular MetroLink service will resume on January 4.

So what is a bus bridge?  A bus bridge is a series of buses that shuttle MetroLink riders from one station to another due to service interruption.  Service could be down for a number of reasons, like scheduled construction or repair, or in the case of an emergency.  These buses are dedicated to serving the bus bridge and will not serve MetroBus routes along the route.  The bus bridge will operate both eastbound and westbound on the Red and Blue MetroLink lines.  Below is a map of the Vandeventer bus bridge route:

Vandenventer Bus Bridge Route Map

If you are planning on taking MetroLink from December 26 – January 3, here’s what to expect from the bus bridge service:

1. When you are heading eastbound, exit the Central West End MetroLink station to and walk towards Taylor Avenue.  If you are going westbound on MetroLink, exit the Grand Station platform and head east towards Scott Avenue (do not go up the stairs).  Metro employees will be guiding passengers towards the buses at both stations.

2. Look for MetroBuses with the overhead sign reading “Bus Bridge”.

3. You will not need additional fare. Please keep your MetroLink fare present.

4. Buses hold up to 40 people, so multiple buses will be used for larger MetroLink loads.

5. Expect some delays in travel time, and please budget extra time for your trip.  Eastbound bus bridge route should take 4-5 minutes; the Westbound bus bridge route should take 6-7 minutes in additional to wait time at the MetroLink stations.

6. On Christmas Day and New Years Day, Metro service runs on a Sunday schedule.  Schedule info at Metro’s website.

We do appreciate your patience through this process, and have safe and warm travels through this holiday season!

Hey St. Louis, guess what!  It’s winter!  (OK, maybe not yet technically, but according to my internal thermometer, it’s cold.) If you take transit, that means dealing with the elements.  Here are my tips to to best deal with the elements while using public transit:

1. Wear layers. I know, typical cold weather routine.  But layers help keep the wind out, body heat locked in, and can be shed if you get too warm once you are on the train or bus.

2. Gloves, hat, scarves. If you’ve ever waited on a train platform in the cold, I bet you can pick out the parts of your body that notice the wind and cold first: your head, hands, face.  Even if the weather seems fine when you first step out the door, it might not feel so warm after a 10-minute wait for the bus.  Warm people look cool.  Cold people look cold.

Good winter commuting gear.

Bad winter commuting gear.

3.  Have pass or fare ready. If there is a line of people waiting to board the bus, no one wants to have you digging in your backpack or purse.  And you don’t want to miss a train because you needed to purchase a pass.  Buy in tickets in bulk and validate before each trip, or use one of the day, week, or month passes.

4.  Eat just before your trip. After you eat, your body temperature rises. Take advantage of your internal metabolic space heater and fill up before you head out.  While please no eating or drinking in the vehicles, digestion is quite welcome.

Stocking up for the wintery transit rides ahead.

5.  Plan your trip ahead of time. Minimize your waiting time by planning out your trip ahead of time.  Use Google Transit or TripFinder from your computer.  Google Maps also has a public transit application for smartphone – use your phone’s GPS system to plot your transit trip from your exact location.

6.  Customer service. If you are out but don’t have a smartphone, you can call Customer Service at 314-231-2345 in MO or 618-271-2345 in IL from 7:30am – 4:30pm to find out schedule info.  Schedule it into your contacts.  We are currently working on getting a text-based service that will send schedule info to your phone via text, so any phone can receive schedule info. (BONUS: My colleague in Vancouver said they found just knowing when your bus will arrive cuts your perceived waiting time in half, even if real time waiting has not changed.)

7.  Pace. Think I’m joking?  No, this is one of my best tips for keeping warm while waiting for a train or bus.  Sounds unpleasant, but it’s not.  Walk back and forth, get into a smooth rhythm, spend some time thinking.  Keeps the chill off, and lets me unwind from a long day.

This guy knows what I'm talking about.

8.  Watch your step. Buses, trains, station platforms and parking areas can get icy, slushy from all the foot traffic.  Step carefully and deliberately to avoid slipping and wearing five pounds of wet slush on your coat.

9. Wear tights under skirts. Ladies: tights are not just for American Apparel models and the female cast of Gossip Girl:

Excellent use of transit-savy legwear, ladies. (Photo via seattlepi.com)

Tights keep the wind out and warm in.  They make it easier to combine skirted business casual wear with transit use.

10.  Take advantage of the MetroLink station heaters. Station heaters are at Forest Park-DeBaliviere and all Illinois MetroLink stations.  You have to turn them on yourself (buttons located in the center of the station), and they run on timers.  Thanks to a grant, we will be installing heaters in approximately six of the most popularly-used MO MetroLink stations this winter.  Trust me, they are a godsend on a blustery winter’s night.

Stay warm, transit riders.  I’ll be out there too, under the heaters, full stomach, with my leggings on.  If you have more ingenious tips for staying warm while using Metro, please let us know.

UPDATE: Metro Customer Services hours are from 7:30am – 4:30pm.