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Current conditions on Grand Avenue Viaduct.

MetroLink’s Grand Avenue Station is about to undergo a substantial redesign with exciting improvements to become the Scott Avenue Transit Plaza – all while the City of St. Louis replaces the Grand Avenue Viaduct with its own exciting design over the MetroLink tracks.

In cooperation and conjunction with the City’s project, Metro is at the same time improving the MetroLink Station, bus waiting area, and passenger amenities: The Scott Avenue Transit Plaza Project!

The project details:

• Wind and rain shelters on the bridge for Metro customers;
• Removal of on-street parking on Scott Avenue at the MetroLink Station and creation of a 50-70 car park and ride lot;
• Removal of current bus shelters on Scott Avenue;
• Construction of a new transit plaza with seating, vending area, landscaping, and public restrooms;
• Access to MetroLink platform will be changed from east end to west end;
• Elevator and stair towers will be moved north, so they touch down in the new plaza area rather than on the MetroLink platform, for better visibility and line of sight;
• New bus turnout area at the new transit plaza;
• Improved and pedestrian-scale, more welcoming lighting;
• Funded by FTA capital grants (money that can’t be used to support operations, in other words) and local match (required to get federal capital dollars).

Meanwhile, the City of St. Louis will be replacing  the six undivided lanes with four divided lanes plus dedicated bus pullouts (no more buses stopped in traffic on the bridge!), widening sidewalks, and improving pedestrian accommodations on the bridge. The city’s intent is to make this a “signature bridge” for St. Louis.

The new transit plaza area will be built under the bridge where the bridge piers (supports) are located now. (Those piers will be removed when the City demolishes the current bridge.) If you’re finding this hard to visualize, please check out the nifty slideshow we put together for Saint Louis University about this project.

Scott Avenue Transit Plaza CCP Feb 09 2010 (2)

Decorative "organic-feeling" iron fencing.

Metro is working with an artist, Barbara Grygutis, who has helped make the design of the plaza more “organic” and welcoming, with touches like enhancing the fence to a decorative iron fence and using different colored paving stones, including some clear blue stones that will be lit from below with LED lights. Ms. Grygutis will also create a lit art piece in her unique style that will help enhance the area. Check out her website for some images of her previous work. Ms. Grygutis’s work on the project is funded from the 1% public art and enhancement funds as required by federal guidelines.

Metro’s project team, overseen by Senior Project Manager Jerry Wittenauer, also includes the engineering firm Horner & Shifrin, as well as The Lawrence Group and its sister company, Austin Tao & Associates.

We hear a lot of questions at Metro about why we operate the why we do. One of the most persistent questions is:

Why don’t we use turnstiles at MetroLink stations?

The reason for the proof-of-payment system used on MetroLink is that the system would never have been built if it had been designed as a “barrier” system with turnstiles and station attendants as you see in New York and Boston.

The cost of such a turnstile system was far beyond the resources of the St. Louis region, which was financially unable to contribute money for the construction of the original line from 5th and Missouri in Illinois to North Hanley. The “local share” required to match federal construction funds was provided by the City of St. Louis trading the MacArthur Bridge to the Terminal Railway Association in exchange for the Eads Bridge and downtown tunnel, with the value of the trade calculated as the “local share.” Only after the first MetroLink line was built in 1993 did the region levy sales taxes for future construction.

The proof-of-payment system is the current industry standard. Some systems have applied it after determining that they would lose less money to fare evasion than it would cost to build and maintain a barrier (turnstile) collection system. Light-rail systems constructed in the past 20 years are all proof-of-payment systems like St. Louis. They include San Diego, Sacramento, San Jose, Buffalo, Minneapolis, Portland, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix (under construction), Denver, Los Angeles. Most of the light-rail systems (not subway) in Europe are also proof of payment, as are some of the bus systems.

Nationally, the rate of fare evasion is 6 percent. According to audits of our system, MetroLink experiences a 4 percent fare evasion rate (MetroBus and Call-A-Ride require fare payment upon entry of the vehicle). While a system that allowed no fare evasion is ideal, building and maintaining an effective barrier system, like turnstiles, would be an incredible and prohibitive cost to the system. Los Angeles Metro (MTA) recently decided to test turnstiles on several of their light-rail stations, but only after they reached a critical mass of ridership and system coverage:

“Turnstiles have been discussed by our policy-makers for many years,” said Jane Matsumoto, a deputy executive officer at MTA who manages the TAP program. “In the past, we did not have the ridership or the coverage of service we do now. Proof of payment was much more manageable then.” – LA Times, Aug. 17, 2009

The Transport Politic has questioned the cost-return for investing in turnstiles. The author estimated that it would take 45 years for St. Louis to make up the cost to install and maintain turnstiles at MetroLink stations.

Does that mean that MetroLink will always use a proof-of-payment system? No. As Los Angeles Metro is discovering, when a system reaches a critical point of ridership and system coverage, the cost-benefit of a barrier system becomes much higher, and it becomes more profitable to invest in turnstiles. As Metro ridership and scope hopefully increase in the future, we will have to evaluate the next steps in fare collection and enforcement to accommodate the needs of the system.

UPDATE: As of March 17, credit card vending now available also available at all Missouri MetroLink stations.

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.

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.

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.

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!

During the community workshops in November, the Metro long-term planning team went around the region and conducted community workshops to get a handle on what are St. Louisans’ priorities for transit spending, now and in the future.  People chose which corridors and modes they preferred, and which amenities were important to them.  Now, Metro’s Moving Transit Forward planning team is conducting another round of community workshops to present findings and solicit feedback and answer questions.  At these meetings, Ray Friem and Jessica Mefford-Miller also describe how the planning process works, and explain limitations and future opportunities.

So here is my breakdown of the workshop results:

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I demonstrate what NOT to do on MetroLink.

There is no eating or drinking allowed on MetroLink, MetroBuses, or Call-A-Ride vans.  Technically, even drinking water is prohibited (exceptions are made for emergencies).  And yes, that includes your morning coffee.  You can still carry food or beverage onto the vehicles, but you are asked not to consume them, and security can issue citations for violating the rule.  Why so strict? 

The answer is simple in explanation, but more rigorous in practice: cleanliness.  Anytime you get large numbers of people together, dirt and messes are bound to happen.  But that makes for a less desirable ride, and we take a lot of time to keep vehicles clean.  After trains, buses and vans go to rest for the night, they are thoroughly vaccumed and scrubbed down in their various garages to remove debris and dirt. And to help prevent flu transmission, they are currently more rigorously sanitized to kill germs. 

Food and beverage spills create a lot of problems – walking hazards, pests, odors – and increase the time and cost to clean and maintain vehicles.  And honestly, while you might think your BBQ pulled pork sandwich is extra delicious, watching and smelling you eat it might be the last thing your fellow riders want to do.  So while it may seem inconvenient, save the McMuffin for the office.  You’re doing your part to help everyone have a more pleasant ride.

A Chicago mother was faced with a horrific scare yesterday evening: her child’s stroller get caught in the doors of one of the CTA trains and was dragged 75 feet before the child fell 10 feet to a gravel bed below.  Thankfully for all involved, the little girl survived with no serious injuries.  But it’s still a nightmarish thought – getting caught in a moving train door.  It would be a traumatic experience for all involved.  Therefore here in St. Louis we have several layers of safety measures in place to help prevent these kind of incidents with MetroLink doors:

1. First, MetroLink operators have rearview mirrors to check before and while they press the door closed button.  You might have seen this in action if the door has ever opened to let one more rushed customer inside.
2. MetroLink doors have an electromechanical lock on them that prevents the train from moving unless they are closed properly.
3. Once passengers are inside, the leaving station protocol for operators are:    1) Check mirrors for passengers on the platform; 2) Make the announcement, “Please stand clear, the doors are closing”; 3) Close the doors if they are clear of passengers
4. If a door is not functioning properly on MetroLink, there are usually red indicator lights above the defective door that illuminate.
5. The operator can “cut out” a door (take a door out of service) that is not working by flipping a circuit breaker.  The door is then inactive.

In addition, Metro is about to begin testing station barriers that protect strollers, the visually impaired, children, etc. from falling in between cars.  They are installed in the section of the platform between train dockings, and are traversable in case of emergency.  Do they seem like they would be useful in protecting the public?

Luckily, no one was injured in this Chicago incident, but it is important for us riders to remember our safety too.  It’s best not to run on the platform, best to take it easy boarding the train.  Safety precautions work most efficiently when both rider and Agency work together to prevent incidents.

We hope for a quick recovery for little Rachel and her family in Chicago.

In response to a MetroLinks post last week regarding bike vending machines, commenter JimmyZ asked:

Instead of “Bike-share Vending Machines”, how ’bout just some simple bike lockers at suburban metrolink stations, available for daily or monthly rentals?

I thought that was a good question, so I spent some time thinking about it, and here’s my answer: Why not both? (more…)