While officially light rail, the Blue Line features many characteristics of a light metro, semi-metro or rapid transit service,[1] including a completely independent right of way, a higher top speed, and level boarding at all platforms.[2][3]
History
A #14 University-Clayton streetcar in the 1960s. Today, the Blue Line operates in this right of way.
Much of the Blue Line follows former railroad right of way. Starting north from Shrewsbury, the alignment crosses BNSF's Southeastern Junction and follows former Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis right of way to Clayton, briefly along Interstate 170. The stretch running eastward along Forest Park Parkway between Clayton and the Forest Park–DeBaliviere station was a Rock Island railroad right of way until it was abandoned in 1931. The section between Pershing and DeBaliviere avenues carried the #1 Kirkwood and the #14 University-Clayton streetcar lines until 1963.[4][5]
In 1999, East-West Gateway staff members submitted an updated conceptual design for Segment 1 of the Cross County extension between Forest Park and Shrewsbury.[6] Metro did not seek federal funding, instead issuing $430 million in bonds against Proposition M sales taxes.[7] After several delays and design changes, construction began on April 9, 2003 with an estimated cost of $550 million.[8]
Citing repeated delays and cost overruns, Metro fired and then sued its general contractor, Cross County Collaborative, in the summer of 2004. Metro sought $81 million in damages for fraud and mismanagement while the Collaborative counter-sued for $17 million for work that Metro hadn't paid for. On December 1, 2007, a jury awarded the Collaborative $2.56 million.[9]
The 8-mile (12.9km) Cross County extension opened on August 26, 2006 with a final cost of $676 million[10] and added nine stations between Forest Park-DeBaliviere and Shrewsbury–Lansdowne I-44.[7] From its 2006 opening until October 27, 2008, the Blue Line was known as the Shrewsbury branch.[11]
In 2013, the St. Louis County Council authorized loaning Metro $400 million of surplus Proposition A funds to pay off debt related to the Cross County extension.[12]
On July 26, 2022, portions of the Blue Line were impacted by a flash flood that shut down the system for nearly 72 hours and caused roughly $40 million in damage.[13][14] Damages included two elevators, two communications rooms and three signal houses.[15] By that September, normal Red Line service had resumed while restricted service continued on the Blue Line.[16] On July 31, 2023, Metro received $27.7 million in federal emergency disaster relief funding to help cover the cost of flood damage.[17]
In March 2024, Blue Line platform and speed restrictions were lifted with the last damaged signal house now operational.[18]
Route
A view of the viaduct carrying the Blue Line over Manchester Road in Maplewood, Missouri.
The Blue Line operates on 20 minute headways beginning at 5:08 A.M. for eastbound trains, which originate from Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44, and at 4:13 A.M. for westbound trains, which originate at Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center.[33] The final six eastbound trains terminate at different stations: 11:40 P.M. at Fairview Heights, 11:50 P.M., 12:10 A.M. and 12:30 A.M. at Emerson Park, and 12:37 A.M. and 1:07 A.M at Civic Center.[33] The final westbound train terminates at Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 at 12:33 A.M.[33]
Public artwork
In 2002, Metro's Arts in Transit program commissioned a group of artists to join architects and engineers during the design phase of the Cross County extension. This practice of artist participation during system design began during the design and construction of the initial 1993 MetroLink alignment.[34] The work of these artists involved exploration of landscape alternatives, designing the paving patterns for concrete adjacent to stations, and creating the “flow”-patterned retaining walls running along the tracks in the below-grade stretches of the alignment.[34]
In 2006, the Arts in Transit program commissioned a work made for at-grade stretches of the alignment. An overlay of lacy aluminum silhouettes, titled A Walk in the Park, embellishes the concrete privacy fence, called the Catlin Wall, which runs parallel to the tracks between the Skinker and Forest Park-DeBaliviere stations. Created by Andy Cross, Carl Harris, and Ty de LaVenta, the work is a series of cut metal panels depicting trees, vines, leaves, and trellises.[35]
Projects in progress
System rehabilitation
In 2023, Metro began a system-wide rehabilitation program that will last several years.[36] Work on the Blue Line will include the rehabilitation of the Cross County tunnels along with the Skinker and University City–Big Bend stations.[37] Included is the construction of a storage siding near the Richmond Heights station.[38] Elsewhere, catenary wire, curve tracks, platforms, retaining walls, staircases, and system conduit are to be upgraded or replaced.[36][39]
In 2026, Metro expects to complete upgrades to the Supervisory Control Automated Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Public Address/Customer Information (PA/CIS) systems.[40] The upgraded SCADA/PA/CIS will operate as an integrated system that monitors and controls operations and will allow Metro to provide real-time arrival information to passengers, such as live displays at stations.[41]
Previous proposals
Previously proposed extensions of the Blue Line are defunct; regional leaders have said their priority is the proposed Green Line expansion in the city of St. Louis.[42][43]
Cross County
MetroSouth. This 6–12-mile (9.7–19.3km) extension was envisioned as Cross County Segment 2 and would have extended the current Blue Line from its terminus in Shrewsbury further south beyond Interstates 270/255 to Butler Hill Road. A third alternative would have ended at Watson Road.[44] An environmental impact study was completed in 2004; however, selection of an LPA was deferred due to the lack of local funding sources as well as other factors.[45]
MetroNorth. This approximately 12-mile (19km) extension was envisioned as Cross County Segment 3 and would have extended the current Blue Line from Clayton towards Florissant, Missouri.[46] Some of this segment would have followed the former Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis' Central Belt right-of-way paralleling Interstate 170.[46]
Daniel Boone. This 8–10-mile (13–16km) extension would have branched off the Cross County corridor near Olive Boulevard along disused Rock Island Railroad right-of-way. It would then turn west and follow existing trackage operated by Central Midland Railway to Page Avenue where the line would continue to Westport Plaza.[47][48] An approximately 12-mile (19km) extension to Chesterfield would have been a potential Phase 2 of the Daniel Boone branch. The alignment would have continued west following Page Avenue and Highway 364 then turning towards Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park. From there it would have headed to Spirit of St. Louis Airport in the Chesterfield Valley.[46]
↑ Goodrich, Robert (April 27, 1994). "E. St. Louis Starring in MetroLink". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p.B1. Retrieved April 15, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
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