NextStop STL

If you drive north on Vandeventer Avenue near Interstate 64, you will now see a train carefully placed on the south-facing railing of Vandeventer Bridge. But it’s not carrying passengers; it’s carrying the first few notes of one of the most iconic songs about St. Louis, “St. Louis Blues” by W.C. Handy.  It’s the newest member of the Arts in Transit pieces, “blue train” by artist Clark Wiegman. In late 2…

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 …

…tal 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 rep…

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 br…

…ach project, and then provide regular updates on the blog so that you can follow the progress of each project. Projects currently underway include: Rehabilitation work on the Eads Bridge; Replacing the MetroLink bridge over Vandeventer Avenue; ADA upgrades for bus stops; The Scott Avenue transit plaza project, planned in conjunction with the City of St. Louis’s replacement of the Grand Avenue bridge; Installation of a paint booth at the Illinoi…

…ing safe, and being home in 15-20. Again, time is money.

I must admit a bit of surprise to hear of people using the Grand station in a “park-and-ride-like” manner. stlplanr I wish Metro would have added a new Sarah (or even Vandeventer) station before re-construction of the Grand Viaduct would start. Did the recent Vandeventer bridge re-placement even leave space for a new station?

If a Sarah or Vandeveneter station already existed, then the…

…their comments. Highlights include getting feedback on Restoration 2010, launching the Holiday Train and Rhythm & Rails, discussing Moving Transit Forward, and introducing the Bus Stop Evaluation Program, Grand Bridge and Vandeventer Bridge construction projects, and the Mobile Market. We were very honored to receive a nomination for Best Local Activism Blog from The Riverfront Times in 2011, to present at the American Public Transportation A…

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…

… planning process, the results from the first round of public workshops and what’s in store for the second round of public input; how long the $12m appropriation from the State of Missouri will last; questions about the Vandeventer Bridge project; essentially, anything and everything you’d like to know. UPDATE: Here’s the link to the Metro Live Chat transcript, thanks so much for your questions! …

…ow and ice cover at my local bus stops, at home and work, poses a serious hazard. A couple of weeks ago I could easily have been the fatality that occurred at Forest Park and De Baliviere. I stepped off the bus at Lindell and Vandeventer and suddenly found myself looking directly up at blue sky and clouds. Had a boarding passenger not pulled me up I could easily have slid under as the bus was leaving. More generally, buses that run at 40-minute…