News
Flood Recovery MetroLink Service Adjustment Effective September 5: Blue Line trains will operate between Shrewsbury and Forest Park only until further notice
Metro Transit will adjust Blue Line MetroLink service beginning on Monday, September 5, in an effort to provide more reliable, on-schedule service. Although train service to all 38 MetroLink stations has resumed, Blue Line trains will only operate between the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 and Forest Park-DeBaliviere Stations. Since July 26, the transit agency has been looking for solutions to work around the complex challenges created by $40 million in flash flood damage, which occurred on July 26. Key signal and communications systems near the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station sustained major damage during the historic rainfall event. Since then, Metro Transit has been working to find solutions to keep the trains moving efficiently despite not having those key signal and communications systems operational.
“We are in emergency flood recovery mode and are looking at all viable solutions to improve MetroLink service for our customers. The operations plan we put into place on August 22 is not producing the results we need for our customers. In fact, it has created further MetroLink delays so now we move on to the next option and that is what we are doing starting on Monday,” said Taulby Roach, Bi-State Development President and CEO. Bi-State Development operates the 46-mile MetroLink system for the St. Louis region. “We appreciate the patience demonstrated by our customers. We know their MetroLink commutes have been challenging since the flooding damaged a key area of the MetroLink system. Realistically, we are looking at six months or more to completely replace the signal and communications components before we are back to pre-flood service levels on MetroLink.”
“We are optimistic that this MetroLink adjustment will provide more reliable service for our customers,” said Charles Stewart, Executive Director of Metro Transit. “There will still be some delays but service will be more dependable. We encourage customers to use the Transit app, Google Transit and online schedules starting Monday to see when their train is coming.”
Starting Monday, September 5:
- Blue Line trains will operate between the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 and Forest Park-DeBaliviere Stations. No Blue Line trains will operate east of the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station. Blue Line trains will operate on a 20-minute frequency, seven days a week.
- Blue Line customers will need to transfer to a Red Line train at the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station to continue their eastbound trips.
- Customers heading west to Blue Line stations toward Clayton and Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 will need to transfer to a Blue Line train at the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station.
- All transfers between the Red Line and Blue Line will be made at the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station. Blue Line customers should allow extra time for the transfers.
- Red Line trains will operate between St. Louis Lambert International Airport and the Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Station, and will operate on weekday schedules Monday through Friday and weekend schedules on Saturday and Sunday.
Customers at the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station will continue to board all eastbound and westbound Red Line trains on the westbound side of the platform, and all westbound Blue Line trains on the eastbound side of the platform. At the Skinker and University City-Big Bend Stations, all eastbound and westbound trains will board on the eastbound platform.
Both elevators at the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station are out of service indefinitely due to the flood damage. MetroLink customers who need elevator service and start or end their trips at the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station can continue to request special transportation by using the Passenger Assist Telephone (located at all MetroLink stations and Transit Centers), by calling 314.982.1400, x4870 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or calling 314.289.6872 after hours.
The latest details on MetroLink service, including updated schedules, are available on the Special MetroLink Operations page of MetroStLouis.org. Customers can also contact Metro Transit Information for questions or help with their trip by calling 314.231.2345 or texting 314.207.9768, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.