Here Comes the 2011 Holiday Magic Train! Friday, November 25 – Saturday, December 31

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Courtney

Last year marked the first year for the MetroLink holiday train in St. Louis, and we are proud to present the 2nd Annual Holiday Magic Train, brought to you by Metro and the Convention and Visitors Commission (CVC) of St. Louis for another holiday season!

The Holiday Magic Train is a partnership with the CVC to promote public transit, as well as the Holiday Magic event in America’s Center December 2-4, and the holiday spirit in St. Louis. Last year, we heard wonderful comments from riders and Metro employees who enjoyed traveling on the festive train which was adorned with blue and silver Fleur-di-lis snowflakes. This year, the Holiday Magic Train will again travel on both the Blue and Red Lines from 4:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. on select Saturdays and Sundays.

Monday – Friday, Nov. 25 – Saturday, Dec. 31
4:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Mon, Wed & Fri Operates on Red Line (except Dec. 2 Blue Line)
Tues & Thurs Operates on Blue Line

Saturdays 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Dec. 3 & 17 Operates on Red Line
Dec. 10 & 24 Operates on Blue Line

Sunday, Dec. 4 & Sunday, Dec. 1810 a.m. – 7 p.m. Operates on Blue Line

Saturday, Dec. 24 & Saturday, Dec. 31
Operates from 10 a.m. – 7  p.m.
MetroLink will operate on a holiday schedule on these dates.
All times listed above are approximate.

This year, 88.1 KDHX will also present Rhythm & Rails, the on-board concert series for its second run this year, December 17-18. Details coming next week on the bands and concert schedule.

To all Metro riders and St. Louis community members and visiting families, we wish you a very warm and enjoyable Thanksgiving, and magical start to the holiday season! We’ll see you on the Holiday Magic Train!

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

New MetroBus Shuttle Service Begins Monday

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Courtney

Metro officials announced today that starting Monday, November 28, 2011, a new shuttle route will be offered to MetroBus customers along Russell Boulevard between Grand Boulevard and Gravois Avenue. The new #180 Russell Shuttle will be in service Monday through Friday operating every 40 minutes during rush hour and will provide service in the McKinley Heights neighborhood along Russell Boulevard with direct access for MetroBus customers to the Civic Center MetroLink Station.

The shuttle service is being added in response to a recent favorable funding decision and to customer feedback to the quarterly MetroBus service change which goes into effect on November 28. Metro listened to input from customers regarding the scheduled service changes to the #14 Botanical Garden route, the # 80 Park Shaw route and the #8 Bates Morganford route.

In addition to adding the #180 shuttle service; in January 2012, Metro will return the #8 Bates Morganford to its pre-November 28 route to the Civic Center MetroLink Station and will expand the #80 Park Shaw to serve both the Civic Center and Central West End MetroLink Stations.

The service changes being implemented on November 28 are in response to current ridership demand and Metro’s current funding and future funding outlook. The additional changes described here are in response to customer feedback and can be maintained with stable local and federal funding.  Any future changes in funding levels will necessitate a revision of service levels.

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

SUMMARY OF NEWLY ANNOUNCED SERVICE CHANGES

#180 Russell – This route will be operated as a van shuttle serving the McKinley Heights neighborhood along Russell Boulevard between Grand Boulevard and Gravois Avenue to the Civic Center MetroLink Station. Service will operate Monday through Friday every 40 minutes from 5 a.m.to 8 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. This change will be implemented on November 28, 2011. This service will be replaced by the #8 Bates Morganford in early January.

#80 Park Shaw – This route will continue to provide service to the Civic Center Station and will be extended to also provide service to the Central West End MetroLink Station via Tower Grove Avenue. Service will operate every 40 minutes during rush hour and hourly during non-rush hour times. This change will be implemented in early January 2012.

New Shuttle Route/Service Changes continued

#8 Bates Morganford – This route will return to its pre-November 28 configuration, and will return to serving Russell Boulevard to the Civic Center MetroLink Station. Service will operate every 40 minutes during rush hour and hourly during non-rush hour times. This change will be implemented in early January 2012.

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED CHANGES EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 28

#1 Gold – From the start of service to 7:00 p.m. on Weekdays, service will operate every 20 minutes instead of every 15 minutes, and all trips will operate from the Central West End Transit Center to the Clayton Transit Center.

#13 Union – Service will operate every 40 minutes instead of every 30 minutes.

#14 Botanical Garden – This route will be discontinued in the present form. Service between Central West End and Botanical Garden will be operated on the #8 Bates Morganford, and service between Tower Grove and the Hill area will be operated on the #80 Park Shaw.

#16 City Limits – The Jamieson Bridge will reopen in late November 2011. The #16 will resume regular route. The routing will be changed to serve the Senior Apartments on Hodiamont and Etzel. Southbound trips will access the Delmar Station westbound on Des Peres.

#30 Soulard – The first northbound trip adjusted to time connect with the #70 Grand northbound at Grand & Arsenal.

#33 Dorsett Lackland – Trip time adjustments to provide better connections with the Metrolink.

#47 North Hanley – The last northbound trip on Weekdays and Saturdays will leave 8 minutes later to connect with the Westbound MetroLink scheduled to arrive at North Hanley Station at 12:10 a.m.

#59 Dogtown – Service will operate every 40 minutes between Central West End and Webster Groves during the day, and every 60 minutes at night. Service between Central West End and Forest Park Community College will operate every 20 minutes during weekday hours.

#64 Lucas Hunt – Trip time adjustments to provide better connections with the Metrolink.

#70 Grand – The first northbound trip adjusted to time connect with the #11 Chippewa at Grand & Chippewa and the #30 Soulard at Grand & Arsenal.

Posted in System Changes | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

IMPORTANT UPDATE: November 28 Service Changes

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Courtney

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Metro officials announced today that starting Monday, November 28, 2011, a new shuttle route will be offered to MetroBus customers along Russell Boulevard between Grand Boulevard and Gravois Avenue. Please see the updated Rider Alert changes to prepare for your commute. Please use TripFinder or service maps and PDFs to plan your trip.

***

Metro will implement its quarterly service adjustment on November 28, 2011. The most significant impacts will be to customers who travel on the #8 Bates Morganford, #80 Park Shaw and #14 Botanical Garden.

Service levels are being adjusted to reflect current ridership needs and to maintain a service level that can be sustained.  High unemployment rates and lower consumer spending continue to negatively impact ridership and funding. Therefore, Metro will be readjusted some of the routes to maximize resources and ridership.

As with all service adjustments, Metro will monitor customer feedback and make appropriate adjustments if needed. Metro will restore a direct connection from the Shaw neighborhood to the Central West End Transit Center aboard the #8 Bates Morganford for customers who have requested this service.

Continue reading →

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Primary Runway Reconstruction at St. Louis Downtown Airport Complete, and Can Now Handle Larger Aircraft

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Courtney

For the past several years, the St. Louis Downtown Airport has been planning for expansion. On November 11, the fruits of that labor flew in from Florida carrying the Tampa Bay Lightning National Hockey League in a Boeing 737, the first large aircraft to land at the airport. Today, Metro held a news conference to announce the completion of the airport runway reconstruction project and its impact for the airport and the region.  Participants included U.S. Representative Jerry Costello (D-12th District Illinois), Susan Shea, the Director of the Division of Aeronautics for the Illinois Department of Transportation, John Nations, Metro President & CEO, and Airport Director Bob McDaniel. Watch a video of the plane landing below:


Click here to view the video.

The primary runway at St. Louis Downtown Airport in Cahokia, Illinois reopened to air traffic earlier this month, following a six-month reconstruction period.  The airport can now accommodate larger aircraft like the Airbus 320, the Boeing 757, and the McDonnell-Douglas MD-80. In addition, a new high-intensity lighting system with Precision Approach Path Indicators (PAPIs) was installed. The cost of the improvements was nearly $7.4 million with more than $7 million provided by a U.S. Department of Transportation grant. The remainder was funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation and the airport.


Click here to view the slideshow.

Already the third busiest airport in Illinois, the St. Louis Downtown Airport is now generating new business and expanding its clientele by attracting larger charter and corporate planes that bring sports teams, celebrities, elected officials and business clients to St. Louis. Airport officials said the Tampa Bay Lightning and their staff loved the airport’s quick deboarding and proximity to downtown St. Louis. That’s great news for the 26 aviation businesses surrounding the airport that employ 1,900 full time workers and combined create St. Clair County’s largest private sector employer.

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Take the CMT Transit Commuter Survey and Get a Chance to Win a Kindle Fire

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Courtney

Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) is conducting a transit commuter survey to help determine why transit commuters in Missouri and Illinois choose the bus and/or MetroLink instead of the car. From CMT:

The survey will help us understand commuter perceptions of transit in St. Louis, types of messaging that helps increase ridership, and how we can better market the transit system in the St. Louis region.  As a transit commuter, we appreciate your participation.

Take the CMT Transit Survey

This survey is the first step in CMT’s 3-year St. Louis (STL)Transit Action Plan program, funded through a federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant.  The STL Transit Action plan seeks to improve air quality in the St. Louis region by increasing transit ridership and reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips.

Please fill out this short survey. It should take you less than 10 minutes. You can fill out the survey online or mail in a hard copy.   We are requesting all surveys be completed and returned to Citizens for Modern Transit (911 Washington Ave. Suite 200, St. Louis, MO 63101) by Thursday December 15, 2011 in the envelope provided.

Each survey respondent will be entered into a drawing for a brand new KINDLE FIRE.   In order to be entered into the drawing, we will need you to fill out the contact information completely. If you do not wish to be included in the drawing, this information can be left blank.

Thank you for you assistance. Look for upcoming transit promotions next spring and information on the new Smart Card program.  See you on the bus or train!

Help transit advocates learn how to increase transit ridership while earning a chance to win a free Kindle Wire? NextStop readers, what are you waiting for?

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Construction Work Continues through Sunday on Eads Bridge – MetroLink Service Affected

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Courtney

Construction work at the East Riverfront MetroLink Station continues this week. Here is a list of service changes affecting MetroLink riders due to the construction:

Monday through Friday & Sunday, November 20
MetroLink will operate on a single track at the East Riverfront MetroLink Station starting at 8 p.m. every weeknight and on Sunday night.

Red Line trains will operate on a single track at the East Riverfront MetroLink Station.  Signs at the platform entrances will indicate which platform is in use.  Blue Line trains will only operate from Shrewsbury to the Civic Center MetroLink Station. In Missouri, eastbound Blue Line passengers will need to transfer to a Red Line train at the Civic Center MetroLink Station. Westbound Blue Line passengers in Illinois will need to catch a Red Line train to travel between the Fairview Heights MetroLink Station and  the Civic Center MetroLink Station and then return to a Blue Line train at Civic Center. Blue Line passengers should allow an extra 10 minutes for their commutes these evenings.  Red Line customers should not experience any construction-related delays.

Saturday, November 19
The Eads Bridge will be closed to MetroLink trains all day and night on Saturday.  The vehicle deck of the bridge will remain open for traffic.  MetroLink passengers will be transported over the Mississippi River by bus between the Arch-Laclede’s Landing MetroLink Station and the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station. The East Riverfront MetroLink Station will be closed to customers.

MetroLink customers traveling between Missouri and Illinois should allow an extra 20 to 30 minutes for their Saturday commutes. The station will reopen Sunday morning, November 20, at the start of service.

The Eads Bridge will be closed to MetroLink trains ONLY on Saturday.

Posted in Moving Transit Forward | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Bus Stop Evaluation Program: #57X Clayton Road and #97 Delmar

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Courtney

The bus stop evaluation program continues with the #57X Clayton Road and the #97 Delmar.

Please note: these routes are not being eliminated, but your feedback on specific stops is encouraged and greatly appreciated. Below is the new list of proposed MetroBus stops under consideration for removal from the following routes:

#57X Clayton Road

#97 Delmar

These stops are being proposed for elimination as part of Metro’s Bus Stop Evaluation Program to make the system more efficient, faster and allow for more improvements to existing bus stops.

Please submit your comments for the #57X Clayton Road and #97 Delmar by Monday, December 5, 2011.

Please submit your comments for the #58 Clayton-Ballas by Monday, November 28, 2011.

NS – Nearside of the street-before you cross the street
FS – Farside of the street-after you cross the street
MB – Midblock after the street midway down

Posted in Moving Transit Forward | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Blues Fans Who Take MetroLink from Illinois to the Game Will Get Help from MetroBus Saturday Night

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Courtney

Construction work on the Eads Bridge will continue this weekend through the end of service on Sunday night, November 13.  During that time the bridge will be closed to both MetroLink and automobile traffic.  The East Riverfront MetroLink Station will also be closed to customers.

Blues fans traveling to Saturday’s game via MetroLink from Illinois should plan extra time for their commute.  Buses will be used to take westbound commuters from the 5th and Missouri MetroLink Station in Illinois to reconnect with MetroLink at the Arch – Laclede’s Landing Station in Missouri.

At the end of the game, buses will be waiting at the Clark Avenue exit of the Scottrade Center to help expedite travel for Blues fans who are riding Metro back to Illinois. Buses will take fans directly to the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station, where they will board MetroLink trains to continue east.

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

MetroLink Customers Should Allow Extra Time This Weekend for Bus Shuttle

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Courtney

The Eads Bridge will be closed to both MetroLink and vehicular traffic on Saturday and Sunday so that crews can work on the rails near the East Riverfront MetroLink Station. MetroLink customers traveling between Missouri and Illinois should allow an extra 20 to 30 minutes for their weekend commutes.

MetroLink passengers will be transported by MetroLink bus shuttles between the Arch-Laclede’s Landing MetroLink Station and the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station from the beginning of service on Saturday, November 12, until the end of service on Sunday night, November 13. The East Riverfront MetroLink Station will also be closed to customers. The station will reopen Monday morning, November 14, at the start of service. MetroLink bus shuttles will operate between the East Riverfront MetroLink Station and the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station. Passengers traveling westbound can then board a MetroLink bus shuttle at the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station to be transported to the Arch-Laclede’s Landing MetroLink Station.

WEEKEND SERVICE DETAILS
Red Line service will operate between the Arch-Laclede’s Landing and Lambert Airport Terminal #1 MetroLink Stations, and between the 5th & Missouri and Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Stations. Red Line passengers planning to continue eastbound from the Arch-Laclede’s Landing MetroLink Station will be instructed to get off the train and board a MetroLink bus shuttle for the trip to the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station, where they can board a train and continue their eastbound commute. In Illinois, Red Line customers traveling to Missouri will be instructed to exit the train at the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station and get on a MetroLink bus shuttle that will take them to the Arch-Laclede’s Landing MetroLink Station, where they can board a train and resume their westbound commutes.

No Blue Line service will be provided in Illinois on Saturday or Sunday. Blue Line service will ONLY operate between the Shrewsbury and Civic Center MetroLink Stations. In Illinois, passengers traveling westbound to Blue Line stations will need to transfer to MetroLink bus shuttles at the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station to take them to the Arch-Laclede’s Landing MetroLink Station, where they will board a westbound Red Line train. Passengers will then need to transfer to a westbound Blue Line train at the Civic Center MetroLink Station to continue their commute to Blue Line stations.

Eastbound Blue Line passengers will need to transfer to a Red Line train at the Civic Center MetroLink Station. Eastbound trains will stop at the Arch-Laclede’s Landing MetroLink Station. Passengers will be instructed to board MetroLink bus shuttles which will transport them to the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station, where they can board eastbound trains to continue their commute to all Illinois Blue Line or Red Line stations.

Customers should also expect delays this Friday evening, November 11, starting at 8 p.m. to accommodate construction crews on the tracks near the East Riverfront MetroLink Station.

The Eads Bridge will be closed to automobile traffic starting at  7 p.m. Friday night. MetroLink trains will not be affected until the start of service Saturday morning.

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Metro Partners with Groups to Help Make the Community a Better Place to Live

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Courtney

Metro is committed to making the quality of life better in bi-state communities and as part of that commitment, Metro sponsors, partners, and participates in events that benefit the residents of the region.

Last month, Metro co-hosted Youth Gateway to Aviation at the St. Louis Downtown Airport and participated in Child Safety Day at the Pageant Theater in St. Louis.

This is the fourth year Metro Transit joined the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, St. Louis Fire Department, Missouri Highway Patrol, BJC Healthcare, St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, and other organizations and businesses for this important event. Child Safety Day is free annual event geared at teaching families in a fun environment how to stay safe on the street, safe on bicycles, safe on the Internet, safe in the car and at home especially during home emergencies like fires, and safe around strangers.

Click here to view the slideshow in Flickr.

Metro Transit educated children about safety around trains—not playing or walking on railroad tracks, and not trying to beat a train by walking or riding their bicycles around the warning gates. Fredbird was there on October 8, riding with passengers from the Stadium MetroLink Stations to Delmar Loop MetroLink Station.

That same Saturday in October, St. Louis Downtown Airport in Cahokia, Illinois, and Saint Louis University’s Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology hosted Youth Gateway to Aviation. Approximately 500 scouts from the Lewis and Clark Council of the Boy Scouts learned first hand about the exciting world of aviation – from the air and from the ground! Eighteen pilots, including St. Louis Downtown Airport Director Bob McDaniel, donated their time and fuel so the Scouts could experience what it is like to fly. No doubt some of these scouts are now hooked on flying and will go on to become pilots.

In fact, McDaniel said that is what happened to him. “When I was 15, I rode my bicycle to this airport and took my first flying lesson and then told my mother about it later. I soloed on my 16th birthday and have been flying ever since,” he said.

“Opportunities for today’s youth to get involved with aviation are very limited. If we don’t create those opportunities for them and light a fire of enthusiasm about aviation, there won’t be anyone around to replace us when old timers like me move on.”

Click here to view the slideshow in Flickr.

The event featured interactive activities, discovery flights, simulators, airport fire truck demonstrations, displays, tours, and a scavenger hunt. Saint Louis University’s Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology, The Boeing Company, Saint Louis Science Center, Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), Young Eagles, Gateway Eagles, Garmin, the Greater St. Louis Business Aviation Association, Wicks Airplane Supply and other aviation companies participated as partners to help youngsters get excited about aviation science.

Being part of the community means getting out, leading and being part of these great events. If you or your organization would like to parnter with Metro on your event, please let us know!

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