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Metro Offers Special Shuttle Service to Mardi Gras

Metro transit is offering special MetroBus shuttle service for parade-goers and celebrants to safely and conveniently travel to Mardi Gras festivities and the 2015 Grand Parade in the Soulard neighborhood on Saturday, February 14. The special Mardi Gras shuttle buses will operate from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. between Soulard and the Civic Center MetroLink Station, located at the corner of Spruce Street and 14th Street in downtown St. Louis. The shuttles will run every 15 minutes and will drop off and pick up passengers in Soulard on 10th Street between Carroll Street and Marion Street.

Roundtrip passes for the Mardi Gras shuttle are $6 and can only be purchased on Saturday, February 14, at the Civic Center MetroLink Station, starting at 9 a.m. The passes feature commemorative Mardi Gras artwork suspended from a festive lanyard, making it easy for riders to wear while they enjoy the festivities. A special offer from McDonald’s is printed on the back of the 2015 Mardi Gras Shuttle Pass.

“We encourage everyone to park their cars at one of our free Metro Park-Ride lots, take MetroLink to the Civic Center Station, buy a Mardi Gras shuttle pass and head to the celebration on one of our special shuttles,” said Ray Friem, Chief Operating Officer for Metro Transit Services at the Bi-State Development Agency. “Instead of navigating the street closures and traffic, and competing for limited parking spaces, let Metro do the driving.”

Mardi Gras shuttles will run every 15 minutes through 11 p.m. Regular Metro tickets and passes are not valid on the Mardi Gras MetroBus Shuttle. The Mardi Gras MetroBus Shuttle Pass is not valid for regular MetroBus or MetroLink service.

Revelers also can reach Mardi Gras festivities using regular MetroBus routes. The #8 Bates-Morganford, #10 Gravois, #30 Soulard, #40 Broadway and #73 Carondelet MetroBus routes serve the Soulard area, and even though some will be rerouted on Saturday, will still get riders close to the celebration.

MetroLink trains will operate every 20 minutes on the Red Line and Blue Line on Saturday, February 14, with trains arriving every 10 minutes at stations between the Forest Park-DeBaliviere and Fairview Heights MetroLink Stations. Metro will monitor platforms throughout the day and will add extra service if needed.

At the end of the evening, the last eastbound train from the Civic Center MetroLink Station to the Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Station will depart at 11:41 p.m., and the last eastbound train to the Fairview Heights Station will leave at 12:38 a.m., with MetroBus shuttle service to Shiloh-Scott Station.

Westbound, the final Blue Line train from the Civic Center MetroLink Station to the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 MetroLink Station will depart at 12:12 a.m., and the last Red Line train to the Lambert Airport Terminal #1 Station will leave at 12:22 a.m.

Customers are asked to leave their backpacks and coolers at home since they are not allowed at Soulard Mardi Gras festivities. No food, drink or alcohol is permitted on MetroLink, MetroBus or on Metro property.

For more information about the Mardi Gras shuttles, visit www.metrostlouis.org or call 314-231-2345 from Missouri or 618-271-2345 from Illinois. For Mardi Gras parade information and other event times, visit www.mardigrasinc.com.

MetroBus Reroutes

Due to Mardi Gras festivities and the 2015 Grand Parade taking place on Saturday, February 14, several MetroBus lines operating in the Soulard area will be rerouted.

#8 Bates-Morganford — from 10 a.m. until end of service

Eastbound: Regular route to Russell and Gravois, left on Gravois to Tucker, then resume regular route.

Westbound: Regular route to Tucker and 12th Street, continue south on Tucker to Gravois, then right on Russell and resume regular route.

#30 Soulard — from 10 a.m. until end of service

Northbound: Regular route to Arsenal and 13th, left on 13th, left onto I-55 North, exit at Truman Parkway, right on Lafayette, left on 12th, then left on Chouteau and resume regular route.

Southbound: Regular route to Chouteau and Tucker, right on Tucker to Gravois, left on I-55 South, exit and right on Gasconade, right on Broadway, left on Lemp, then left on Arsenal and regular route.

#40 Broadway — from 7 a.m. until 10 a.m.

Northbound: Regular route to Broadway and Chouteau, left on Chouteau, right on Tucker, right on Market, then left on 4th and resume regular route.

Southbound: Regular route to Broadway and Market, right on Market, left on Tucker, left on Chouteau, then right on Broadway and resume regular route.

#40 Broadway — from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Northbound: Regular route to Broadway and Arsenal, left on Arsenal, right on 13th, left onto I-55 North, exit at 3rd Street/Washington onto Memorial Drive, left on Washington, then right on 4th and resume regular route.

Southbound: Regular route to Washington and Broadway, left on Washington, right on Memorial Drive to I-55 South, exit and right on Gasconade, right on Broadway, left on Lemp, right on Cherokee, then right on Broadway and resume regular route.

#40 Broadway — from 5 p.m. until end of service

Northbound: Regular route to Broadway and Arsenal, left on Arsenal, right on 13th, left onto I-55 North, exit onto Truman Parkway, right on Chouteau, then left on 4th and resume regular route.

Southbound: Regular route to Broadway and Chouteau, right on Chouteau, left on Truman Parkway, left onto I-55 South, exit and left on Arsenal, then right on Broadway and resume regular route.

#73 Carondelet — from 6 a.m. until end of service

Northbound: Regular route to Lemp and Arsenal, right on Arsenal, left on 13th, left onto I-55 North, exit at Truman Parkway, right on Lafayette, then left on 12th and resume regular route.

Southbound: Regular route to Chouteau and Tucker, right on Tucker to Gravois, left on I-55 South, exit and right on Gasconade, right on Broadway, left on Lemp, then left on Cherokee and resume regular route

About Bi-State Development Agency

The Bi-State Development Agency (BSDA) is the operator of the Metro public transportation system for the St. Louis region, which includes the 87 vehicle, 46-mile MetroLink light rail system; 379 MetroBus vehicle fleet that operates on 75 MetroBus routes; and Metro Call‑A‑Ride, a paratransit fleet of 120 vans. BSDA also owns and operates St. Louis Downtown Airport and its surrounding industrial business park, and the Gateway Arch Riverboats, as well as operates the Gateway Arch Revenue Collections Center and Gateway Arch Transportation System. The region’s new freight district also will be operated by BSDA.