The Blue Line is the newer and shorter line of the MetroLink light rail service in Greater St. Louis. It serves 25 stations across three counties and two states.
The Blue Line is the newer and shorter line of the MetroLink light rail service in Greater St. Louis. It serves 25 stations across three counties and two states.
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. [1] [2]
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. [3] Metro did not seek federal funding, instead issuing $430 million in bonds against Proposition M sales taxes. [4] After several delays and design changes, construction began on April 9, 2003 with an estimated cost of $550 million. [5]
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. [6]
The 8-mile (12.9 km) Cross County extension opened on August 26, 2006 with a final cost of $676 million [7] and added nine stations between Forest Park-DeBaliviere and Shrewsbury–Lansdowne I-44. [4] From its 2006 opening until October 27, 2008, the Blue Line was known as the Shrewsbury branch. [8]
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. [9]
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. [10] [11] Damages included two elevators, two communications rooms and three signal houses. [12] By that September, normal Red Line service had resumed while restricted service continued on the Blue Line. [13] On July 31, 2023, Metro received $27.7 million in federal emergency disaster relief funding to help cover the cost of flood damage. [14]
In March 2024, Blue Line platform and speed restrictions were lifted with the last damaged signal house now operational. [15]
The 24-mile (39 km) Blue Line alignment starts in Shrewsbury, Missouri (Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44) just west of the River des Peres. It crosses over Interstate 44 and continues north to the next two stations located in Maplewood, Missouri (Sunnen and Maplewood/Manchester). The line then continues north to the Brentwood I-64 station, located in Brentwood, Missouri just south of Interstate 64. It then proceeds north in a tunnel underneath Interstate 64, continuing to the Richmond Heights station serving the popular Saint Louis Galleria shopping mall. The line then proceeds through a sharp turn east to the Clayton station in the median of Forest Park Parkway in Clayton, Missouri where it serves the Central Business District of St. Louis County. It heads further east to the Forsyth station where it then enters a tunnel traveling to the University City-Big Bend subway station. After crossing the St. Louis City/County boundary, the Blue Line makes its last stop at the Skinker subway station serving nearby Washington University. At the following station, Forest Park-DeBaliviere, the Blue Line meets the Red Line. From this station the two services share a track alignment with each other until the Blue Line terminates at the Fairview Heights station in Illinois.
From the Forest Park-DeBaliviere station, the Blue and Red lines share the same set of tracks for the next 16 stations. [16] Continuing east, the Central West End and Cortex stations serve the popular Central West End neighborhood, Washington University Medical Center and Cortex Innovation Community. The Grand station transfers with the busy #70 MetroBus line and serves Saint Louis University and its hospital. Next, the Union Station, Civic Center, Stadium, 8th & Pine, Convention Center and Laclede's Landing stations serve downtown St. Louis and its many popular attractions. Crossing the historic Eads Bridge into Illinois, the line serves the East Riverfront, 5th & Missouri, Emerson Park, Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center, and Washington Park stations in East St. Louis, Illinois. At the next station, Fairview Heights, the Blue Line terminates and the shared alignment ends.
From Shrewsbury−Lansdowne I-44 to Fairview Heights (west to east)
| Station | Transfer | City/town served | County | Opening date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shrewsbury–Lansdowne I-44 | Shrewsbury | St. Louis County | August 26, 2006 [17] | |
| Sunnen | Maplewood | |||
| Maplewood–Manchester | ||||
| Brentwood I-64 | Brentwood | |||
| Richmond Heights | Richmond Heights | |||
| Clayton | Clayton | |||
| Forsyth | ||||
| University City–Big Bend | University City | |||
| Skinker | Independent city of St. Louis | |||
| Forest Park–DeBaliviere | Red | July 31, 1993 [18] | ||
| Central West End | ||||
| Cortex | July 31, 2018 [19] | |||
| Grand | July 31, 1993 [18] | |||
| Union Station | ||||
| Civic Center | ||||
| Stadium | ||||
| 8th & Pine | ||||
| Convention Center | ||||
| Laclede's Landing | ||||
| East Riverfront | East St. Louis | St. Clair County | May 14, 1994 [20] | |
| 5th & Missouri | July 31, 1993 [18] | |||
| Emerson Park | May 5, 2001 [21] | |||
| Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center | ||||
| Washington Park | ||||
| Fairview Heights | Fairview Heights | |||
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. [22] 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. [22]
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. [23]
In 2023, Metro began a system-wide rehabilitation program that will last up to two years. [24] Work on the Blue Line will include the rehabilitation of the Cross County tunnels and stations between Forsyth and Skinker and will include the construction of a storage siding near the Richmond Heights station. [25] Elsewhere, curve tracks, catenary wire, system conduit, staircases and retaining walls are to be upgraded or replaced. [26]
In 2024, Metro expects to complete upgrades to the Supervisory Control Automated Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Public Address/Customer Information (PA/CIS) systems. 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. [27]
Previously proposed extensions of the Blue Line are defunct; regional leaders have said their priorities are proposed expansions in the city of St. Louis and North St. Louis County. [28]
MetroLink is a light rail system that serves the Greater St. Louis area. Operated by Metro Transit in a shared fare system with MetroBus, the two-line, 38-station system runs from St. Louis Lambert International Airport and Shrewsbury in Missouri to Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. Intermediate destinations include downtown Clayton, Forest Park, and downtown St. Louis. It is the only U.S. light rail system to cross state lines.
The Metro East is an urban area in Southern Illinois, United States that contains the eastern and northern urban, suburban, and exurban areas across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri. It encompasses eight counties in the Greater St. Louis area and constitutes the second-most populous metropolitan area in Illinois. The region's most populated city is Belleville, with 42,404 residents.
Metro Transit is an enterprise of the Bi-State Development Agency and operates public transportation services in the St. Louis region. In 2023, the system had an annual ridership of 19,528,200, or about 57,500 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2024.
Delmar Loop station is a light rail station on the Red Line of the St. Louis MetroLink system. This below-grade station is adjacent to Delmar Boulevard and Des Peres and Hodiamont avenues and serves the popular Delmar Loop area.
Forest Park–DeBaliviere station is a light rail station on the Red and Blue lines of the St. Louis MetroLink system. This below-grade station is located at the northeast corner of Forest Park Parkway and DeBaliviere Avenue in St. Louis and is designated as the primary transfer point between the two lines.
Transportation in Greater St. Louis, Missouri includes road, rail, ship, and air transportation modes connecting the bi-state St. Louis metropolitan area with surrounding communities throughout the Midwest, national transportation networks, and international locations. The Greater St. Louis region also supports a multi-modal transportation network that includes bus, paratransit, and light rail service in addition to shared-use paths, bike lanes and greenways.
Skinker station is a light rail station on the Blue Line of the St. Louis MetroLink system. This subway station is located beneath the intersection of Skinker Boulevard and Forest Park Parkway near the boundary of St. Louis and University City, Missouri.
University City–Big Bend station is a light rail station on the Blue Line of the St. Louis MetroLink system. This subway station is located beneath the intersection of Big Bend Boulevard and Forest Park Parkway and primarily serves passengers arriving on foot from nearby universities and surrounding neighborhoods.
Forsyth station is a light rail station on the Blue Line of the St. Louis MetroLink system. This below-grade station is located beneath the intersection of Forest Park Parkway and Forsyth Boulevard near the border of University City and Clayton.
Clayton station is a light rail station on the Blue Line of the St. Louis MetroLink system. This at-grade station is located in the median of Forest Park Parkway between South Central Avenue and South Meramec Avenue in downtown Clayton.
Brentwood I-64 station is a light rail station on the Blue Line of the St. Louis MetroLink system. This below-grade station is located near Eager Road in Brentwood, Missouri, just southeast of the Interstate 64/Interstate 170 interchange.
Sunnen station is a light rail station on the Blue Line of the St. Louis MetroLink system. This at-grade station is located on Sunnen Drive adjacent to the only level crossing on the Cross County alignment. It is the least used station on the MetroLink system.
Shrewsbury–Lansdowne I-44 station is a light rail station on the Blue Line of the St. Louis MetroLink system. This station is located on an embankment near Lansdowne Avenue and River Des Peres Boulevard in St. Louis near its boundary with Shrewsbury in St. Louis County. The city limits between the two communities runs through the northern portion of the 800 space park and ride lot.
The Red Line is the older and longer line of the MetroLink light rail system in Greater St. Louis. It serves 29 stations across three counties and two states.
Streetcars in St. Louis, Missouri, operated as part of the transportation network of St. Louis from the middle of the 19th century through the early 1960s.
MetroBus is a public bus service operated by Metro Transit that serves the Greater St. Louis area. In 2023, the service had an annual ridership of 12,531,400, or about 37,300 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2024.
Forest Park Parkway is a parkway in Clayton, Missouri and St. Louis that runs from Interstate 170, becomes Forest Park Avenue at Kingshighway Boulevard, and ends at Market Street and Interstate 64. It is considered an arterial snow route. Its right-of-way has carried various railroad lines throughout much of its history.
The Green Line is a planned expansion of the MetroLink light rail system in St. Louis, Missouri. The north/south running line will be at-grade street running with a dedicated lane and will be the system's third line.
| Lines |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | ||
| Rolling Stock | ||
| Rail Yards and Shops | ||
| Major Transit Centers | ||
| Connecting services | ||
| Other Connections | ||
| Expansions | ||
| Operators | ||
Italics denote lines or service which are planned or not operating Bold denotes primary transfers or terminals | ||