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Red Line (St. Louis MetroLink)

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For other routes of the same name, see Red Line.
Red Line
Eastbound Red Line train traveling through the Central West End
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerBi-State Development Agency
LocaleGreater St. Louis, Missouri–Illinois, U.S.
Termini
Stations29
(1 under construction)
Websitemetrostlouis.org/metrolink
Service
TypeLight rail
SystemSt. Louis MetroLink
Operator(s)Metro Transit
Depot(s)Ewing Yard and Shops
29th Street Yard and Shops
History
OpenedJuly 31, 1993 (1993-07-31)
Previous namesLambert Airport Branch
Technical
Line length38 mi (61 km)
CharacterElevated, subway, at-grade
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line, 750 V DC
Route map
Map Red Line highlighted in red
Legend
 Lambert Airport Terminal 1
Lambert Airport Terminal 2
I-70.svg I-70
North Hanley
Parking
 UMSL–North
UMSL–South
Parking
 Rock Road
Parking
Terminal Railroad
 Wellston
Parking
 Delmar Loop
Loop Trolley Parking
Blue Line
to Shrewsbury–Lansdowne I-44
 Forest Park–DeBaliviere
Loop Trolley Parking
 Central West End
Cortex
I-64.svgUS 40.svg I-64 / US 40
 Grand
Parking
Ewing Yard
I-64.svgUS 40.svg I-64 / US 40
 Union Station
Civic Center
Amtrak
 Stadium
8th & Pine
Convention Center
I-44.svg I-44
Laclede's Landing
Eads Bridge over
the Mississippi River
MO
IL
 East Riverfront
Parking
 5th & Missouri
Parking
I-64.svg I-64
 Emerson Park
Parking
 Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center
I-64.svg I-64
29th Street Yard
 Washington Park
Parking
I-255.svgUS 50.svg I-255 / US 50
 Fairview Heights
Parking
 Memorial Hospital
Parking
 Swansea
Parking
Norfolk Southern Railway
 Belleville
Parking
 College
Parking
Norfolk Southern Railway
 Shiloh–Scott
MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (via Shiloh–Scott station)Parking
 MidAmerica St. Louis Airport
Tracks shared with the Blue Line
Handicapped/disabled access All stations are accessible
This diagram:

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.

While officially light rail, the Red Line has many characteristics of a light metro, rapid transit, or semi-metro service,[1] including an independent right-of-way, a higher top speed, and level boarding at all platforms.[2][3]

History

[edit]
MetroLink at Union Station in 1995

Transit planning along the Airport/Central corridor began in 1971, when it was selected as the region's primary target for further study. In 1983, funding was approved to evaluate five mode alternatives, which culminated in a 1984 draft environmental impact statement. After a series of public hearings, the East–West Gateway Council of Governments adopted light rail as the region's preferred mode.[4]: 203 

The budget for design, engineering, construction, and testing was $287.7 million (equivalent to $640 million in 2023 dollars).[4]: 201  The city of St. Louis acquired unused railroad facilities and property with an estimated value of $100 million and donated it to the project, supplying the local match.[4]: 201 

The westbound platform at Convention Center on the Red and Blue lines

Construction on the initial 13.9-mile (22.4 km) route, dubbed the Lambert Airport branch, began in 1990. It opened on July 31, 1993, with 16 stations between North Hanley and 5th & Missouri.[5] An extension to Lambert Airport Main opened on June 25, 1994, bringing the line to 17 miles (27 km).[6] Three infill stations have since been added: East Riverfront in 1994, Lambert Airport East in 1998, and Cortex in 2018.[7][8]

In 1998, construction began on a 17.4-mile (28.0 km), eight-station extension from 5th & Missouri to College in St. Clair County, Illinois. The project was completed in May 2001 at a cost of $339.2 million, with $243.9 million paid by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and $95.2 million paid by the St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD).[9] A $75 million, 3.5-mile (5.6 km) extension from College to the Shiloh-Scott station opened in 2003. It was funded by a $60 million grant from the Illinois FIRST (Fund for Infrastructure, Roads, Schools, and Transit) Program and $15 million from SCCTD.[10]

On October 27, 2008, the Lambert Airport branch was renamed the Red Line.[11]

On July 26, 2022, a flash flood shut down MetroLink for nearly 72 hours and caused roughly $40 million in damage.[12][13] Nearly 5 miles (8.0 km) of track bed was damaged, along with two elevators, two communications rooms, and three signal houses.[14] By September, Red Line service had returned to normal, although Blue Line service was still restricted.[15] On July 31, 2023, Metro received $27.7 million in federal emergency disaster relief funding to help cover flood repairs.[16]

Route

[edit]
A Red Line train at Civic Center in downtown St. Louis.

The 38-mile (61 km) Red Line begins at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, making stops at the Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 stations. It proceeds through Kinloch, then stops at the North Hanley station near Bel-Ridge. It makes two stops (UMSL North & UMSL South) at the University of Missouri St. Louis in Normandy. After UMSL, trains run on the old Wabash/Norfolk & Western Railroad's Union Depot line that once brought passenger trains from Ferguson to Union Station.[17] Traveling into Pagedale, it stops at the Rock Road station and then at Wellston's namesake station on Plymouth Street. Entering St. Louis City at Skinker Boulevard, the line stops at the Delmar Loop station and its namesake entertainment district. At the following station, Forest Park-DeBaliviere, the Red Line meets the Blue Line; the lines then share tracks until the Blue Line terminates at the Fairview Heights station in Illinois.[18]

Shared alignment

[edit]
The platforms at Stadium in downtown St. Louis.

In all, the Red and Blue lines share tracks for 16 stations.[18] From west to east: the Central West End and Cortex stations that serve the 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 destinations. 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 ends. The Red Line continues south through Belleville, Illinois, to its terminus at the Shiloh–Scott station near Scott Air Force Base.[18]

Stations

[edit]

From Lambert Airport to Shiloh-Scott (west to east)

Station Transfer City/town served County Opening date
Lambert Airport Terminal 1 Edmundson St. Louis County June 25, 1994[19]
Lambert Airport Terminal 2 Woodson Terrace December 23, 1998[20]
North Hanley Carsonville July 31, 1993[21]
UMSL–North Normandy
UMSL–South
Rock Road Pagedale
Wellston Wellston
Delmar Loop Independent city of St. Louis
Forest Park–DeBaliviere Blue
Central West End
Cortex July 31, 2018[22]
Grand July 31, 1993[21]
Union Station
Civic Center
Stadium
8th & Pine
Convention Center
Laclede's Landing
East Riverfront East St. Louis St. Clair County May 14, 1994[23]
5th & Missouri July 31, 1993[21]
Emerson Park May 5, 2001[24]
Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center
Washington Park
Fairview Heights Fairview Heights
Memorial Hospital Belleville
Swansea Swansea
Belleville Belleville
College
Shiloh–Scott Shiloh June 23, 2003[25]

Public artwork

[edit]

In the initial design phase of MetroLink, Metro's Arts in Transit program commissioned a group of artists to design unique bridge piers for MetroLink viaducts. Collaborating with architects and engineers, the artists designed the arched supports that reflect an inverted version of the arch motif used throughout the MetroLink system. The bridge pier style is a signature of MetroLink design and appears in the subsequent St. Clair and Cross County extensions.[26]

In 2008, the Arts in Transit program commissioned a work for the alignment along Interstate 70 near Lambert Airport. Titled St. Louis Rhythm and created by Richard Elliot, it was made using roadway reflectors on 16 concrete Jersey barriers that are activated by the headlights of passing cars.[27]

In 2011, another Arts in Transit commission was installed on the shared alignment near Interstate 64 on the bridge over Vandeventer Avenue. Titled Blue Train and created by Clark Wiegman, a cubist locomotive represents the opening eight bars of the melody of “St. Louis Blues.” During the day, this piece appears as a locomotive spewing a trail of notes or an unfurling piano roll. At night, it becomes a geometric abstraction about linear dynamism and the implied form of the bridge punching through the surrounding ambient light.[28]

Projects in progress

[edit]

MidAmerica Airport extension

[edit]

In 2019, the St. Clair County Transit District was awarded $96 million in Illinois infrastructure funding to build a 5.2-mile (8.4 km) extension of the Red Line from Shiloh-Scott to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah.[29] This extension will include two 2.6-mile (4.2 km) segments, a double-track and a single-track segment, along with a station at the airport.[30] Construction on the extension began in 2023 with Metro expecting to begin operations in early 2026.[31][32][33]

System rehabilitation

[edit]

In 2023, Metro began a system-wide rehabilitation program that will last several years.[34] Work on the Red Line will include the rehabilitation of the downtown and Union Station subway tunnels,[35][36] including the 8th & Pine, Convention Center and Laclede's Landing stations.[37][38] Elsewhere, catenary wire, curve tracks, platforms, retaining walls, staircases, and system conduit are to be upgraded or replaced.[39][40]

In 2026, Metro expects to complete upgrades to the Supervisory Control Automated Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Public Address/Customer Information (PA/CIS) systems.[41] 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.[42]

Previous proposals

[edit]

Previously proposed extensions of the Red Line are defunct; regional leaders have said their priority is the proposed Green Line expansion in the city of St. Louis.[43][44]

St. Charles County

[edit]

A plan to expand MetroLink 16–20 miles (26–32 km) from St. Louis Lambert International Airport northwest to St. Charles County was abandoned after St. Charles County voters twice rejected a sales tax for the extension in 1996; subsequently, all MetroBus service was ended.[45] Had the extension been funded, the route would have used the Old St. Charles Bridge (now demolished) over the Missouri River to access the county.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Track Design Handbook for Light Rail Transit. Transportation Research Board. 2012. ISBN 978-0-309-25824-1. Archived from the original on February 25, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  2. ^ "Joint International Light Rail Conference" (PDF). Onlinepubs.trb.org. p. 671. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  3. ^ Henry, Lyndon (2006). Sharing of Rail Transit Infrastructure by Streetcars and Larger Light Rail Vehicles: Design and Operational Issues. ISBN 978-1-931594-23-3. Archived from the original on January 24, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Campion, Douglas R.; Wischmeyer, Jr., Oliver W. (1988). Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Technology Sharing in Bringing LRT to St. Louis (PDF) (Report) (221 ed.). Transportation Research Board. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  5. ^ "History". Metro Transit – Saint Louis. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  6. ^ Tipton, Virgil (June 22, 1994). "Takeoff: MetroLink Opens Lambert Stop Saturday". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  7. ^ "UrbanRail.Net > North America > USA > Missouri > St. Louis Metrolink". www.urbanrail.net. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  8. ^ "Soon-to-open Cortex MetroLink Station is more than just another stop, say regional transit leaders". STLPR. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  9. ^ "Metro – Inside MetroLink". Metro. Archived from the original on September 11, 2008. Retrieved October 23, 2007.
  10. ^ "World.nycsubway.org: St. Louis, Missouri". Nycsubway.org. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
  11. ^ Lindsey (August 16, 2022). "MetroLink Flood Damage Update". metrostlouis.org. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  12. ^ Schrappen, Colleen (August 21, 2022). "MetroLink to resume full service, but cost for flood repairs could double". STLtoday.com. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  13. ^ Wanek-Libman, Mischa (July 29, 2022). "Metro St. Louis estimates flood damage between $18-$20 million". Mass Transit. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  14. ^ Jerry (September 1, 2022). "MetroLink Changes Starting September 5: Blue Line Service to Operate Between Shrewsbury and Forest Park". Metro Transit – Saint Louis. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  15. ^ Schlinkmann, Mark (August 1, 2023). "Metro gets nearly $28 million in federal aid to cover repairs after 2022 flood". STLtoday.com. Archived from the original on September 5, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  16. ^ "UrbanRail.Net > North America > USA > Missouri > St. Louis Metrolink". www.urbanrail.net. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  17. ^ a b c "MetroLink Schematic Map" (PDF). Metro St. Louis.
  18. ^ "Clinton to Spend Friday in St. Louis". The Daily Journal. Flat River, Missouri. June 24, 1994. p. 4. Retrieved April 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  19. ^ "MetroLink's East Terminal Station Opens Today at Airport After Seven-Month Delay". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. December 23, 1998. p. B1. Retrieved April 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  20. ^ a b c Lindecke, Fred W. (August 1, 1993). "Area Riders Throng to Try MetroLink". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. pp. 1A, 6A. Retrieved April 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  21. ^ "Metro Marks Opening of Cortex Station". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 1, 2018. p. A12. Retrieved April 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  22. ^ 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. Open access icon
  23. ^ Leiser, Ken (April 30, 2001). "MetroLink Extension Opens This Weekend With Parking to Spare". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. A9. Retrieved April 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  24. ^ Sutin, Phil (June 19, 2003). "Changes in Schedule Will Affect MetroLink and 22 Bus Routes". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. N2. Retrieved April 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  25. ^ "Bridge Piers". Arts in Transit, Inc. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  26. ^ "St. Louis Rhythm". Arts in Transit, Inc. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  27. ^ "Blue Train". Arts in Transit, Inc. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  28. ^ Schlinkmann, Mark (June 14, 2019). "Illinois to pay for long-sought MetroLink extension to MidAmerica Airport". STLtoday.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  29. ^ "Trajectory for Transit in 2022 Points to Need for Continued Collaboration". January 19, 2022. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  30. ^ "When will MetroLink extension to MidAmerica Airport be complete? How much will it cost? - MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (BLV) | Mascoutah, IL". flymidamerica.com. July 14, 2021. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  31. ^ Cella, Kim (November 1, 2023). "Construction Underway on MetroLink Extension Project in St. Clair County". St. Clair County Transit District. Archived from the original on November 7, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  32. ^ "Construction underway on 5-mile MetroLink extension from Scott AFB to MidAmerica Airport". STLPR. December 28, 2023. Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  33. ^ "Infrastructure Projects". Metro Transit – Saint Louis. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  34. ^ "Downtown Tunnel Repairs and Fire Suppression Upgrades". Metro Transit – Saint Louis. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  35. ^ "Union Station Tunnel Rehabilitation". Metro Transit – Saint Louis. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  36. ^ "8th & Pine Station Enhancement Project". Metro Transit – Saint Louis. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  37. ^ "Convention Center Enhancement Project". Metro Transit – Saint Louis. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  38. ^ "MetroLink | General Maintenance". Metro Transit – Saint Louis. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  39. ^ "Infrastructure Projects". Metro Transit – Saint Louis. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  40. ^ "MetroLink Software Enhancements". Metro Transit – Saint Louis. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  41. ^ "New MetroLink Customer Information System". Metro Transit – Saint Louis. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  42. ^ Schlinkmann, Mark (November 17, 2021). "St. Louis County back in picture for north-south MetroLink expansion". STLtoday.com. Archived from the original on September 11, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  43. ^ Schlinkmann, Mark (June 6, 2024). "New St. Louis MetroLink line connecting to North County may not happen". STLtoday.com. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  44. ^ Uptergrove, Kate (July 7, 2015). "St. Louis County to explore MetroLink expansion; St. Charles County says no". MidRiversNewsMagazine.com. Archived from the original on September 25, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
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