NextStop Blog
MetroLink Changes Starting September 5: Blue Line Service to Operate Between Shrewsbury and Forest Park
Return to Blog
Metro Transit will make changes to MetroLink service beginning on Monday, September 5, in an effort to provide more reliable, on-schedule light rail service. These changes include:
- Blue Line MetroLink Service: Blue Line trains will only operate between the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 and Forest Park-DeBaliviere Stations. There will be no Blue Line service east of Forest Park. Blue Line trains will operate on a 20-minute frequency, seven days a week.
- Red Line MetroLink Service: Red Line trains will operate between St. Louis Lambert Airport and Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Stations, and will operate on weekday schedules Monday through Friday and weekend schedules on Saturday and Sunday.
- Blue Line passengers will need to transfer to a Red Line train at the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station to continue their eastbound trips.
- Passengers 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, and passengers should allow extra time for the transfers.
Background – Flood Damage
Metro Transit 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. Since then, Metro has been working to keep trains moving efficiently despite not having these key systems operational. Although train service to all 38 MetroLink station has resumed, some riders are experiencing significant delays with the operational plan that launched on August 22.
“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 this next option,” said Taulby Roach, President and CEO of Bi-State Development. “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 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.”
Updated Schedule Information
These changes to MetroLink operations will help provide more reliable schedule times for riders. Below are links to schedules that will go into effect on Monday, September 5.
MetroLink System Schedule: Weekday | Weekend
Station Schedules: 5th & Missouri | 8th & Pine | Belleville | Brentwood I-64 | Central West End | Civic Center | Clayton | College | Convention Center | Cortex | Delmar Loop | East Riverfront | Emerson Park | Fairview Heights | Forest Park-DeBaliviere | Forsyth | Grand | JJK Center | Laclede’s Landing | Lambert Terminal #1 | Lambert Terminal #2 | Maplewood-Manchester | Memorial Hospital | North Hanley | Richmond Heights | Rock Road | Shiloh-Scott | Shrewsbury | Skinker | Stadium | Sunnen | Swansea | University City-Big Bend | UMSL North | UMSL South | Union Station | Washington Park | Wellston
Modified Boarding at Select Stations
Passengers 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.
No Elevator Access at Forest Park
Both elevators at the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station are out of service due to flood damage. MetroLink riders 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.
Trip Planning
The latest details on MetroLink service, including updated schedules, are available on the Special MetroLink Operations page. Contact Metro Transit Information for questions or help planning your trip by calling 314.231.2345 or texting 314.207.9768, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Categories:
This means only half the number of trains will be running in the combined portion!: Forget the on time at least there should be the added capacity!
I admit trains were getting bunched defeating the every 10 minute service in the combine portion but Metro needed to better analyze train running times and they could have run a better schedule than this. Minds weren’t big enough. Capacity also now cut in half!
On the weekends, the schedule shows the last two trains go only as far as Civic Center Station. Why doesn’t the schedule show them going to Emerson Park, since the trains are turning in at the Illinois maintenance facility and they have to go that far anyway?
Great question, Steven! Can I have your phone number? I’ll pass it along to our MetroLink Operations team so they can explain how trains return to the yard at the end of service.
THE M-F EASTBOUND TRIP DEPARTURES FROM SUNNEN STATION APPEAR TO HAVE AN ERROR WITH A MISSING TIME POINT BETWEEN 354 PM AND 434 PM AND THERE SHOULD BE A 414 PM TIME POINT FOR M-F EASTBOUND AT SUNNEN.
There were a few issues with the schedules, but our team has addressed those. The schedule you see online now should be correct, click here for the Sunnen Station schedule.
Running the Blue Line past Skinker was a huge help to commuters working in the Central West End and points East. Some delays were expected, and we appreciate that you are doing your best. But this change feels like you are punishing Blue Line riders with an extra 15 minute transfer so that Red Line riders can get to work 5 minutes faster. All the single track operations are still single track under the new plan. Can you do a better job explaining why this long term (6 month) cut in Blue Line service is necessary and fair to all riders?
The July flash flood caused significant damage to the system, to the extent where Blue Line trains can only operate on a single track between the Forsyth and Forest Park-DeBaliviere Stations. This means both eastbound and westbound trains have to share the same track for about 2 miles. We can maintain service through this stretch with 20 minute frequencies. Unfortunately, if we were to increase frequency, we would have trains start to bottleneck and experience delays as they wait for trains to clear that shared track.
As repairs continue, we’ll update everyone when there are any changes to service or frequency. Our team is doing everything necessary to resume regular service to all riders, thank you for your patience.
Why did you get rid of the 6:52am train that leaves Shrewsbury???? Now I am guaranteed to be late for work as this will cause me to miss my connecting train that would get me to work by 8am. I understand that Metro suffered alot of damage but you are now becoming an unreliable source of transportation.
See the departing schedule for Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 Station here. The 6:51 a.m. Blue Line train should get you to your connecting train for your commute. Reach out to Transit Information for assistance at 314-231-2345 (MO) or 618-271-2345 (IL) or 314-207-9786 (TEXT), they available are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.