NextStop Blog

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) formally approved the MetroLink Green Line expansion project application submitted by Bi-State Development in partnership with the City of St. Louis.

“St. Louis deserves more reliable and easily accessible public transit, and I’m proud of the work my administration has done with our regional partners to get to this next phase,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “We still have more work to do before we can break ground and lay the tracks for the new Green Line, and we stand ready to put in the work to make it happen.”

This is the first time in more than 20 years that Bi-State Development has advanced a major transit project through the FTA’s rigorous New Starts Program, which is the next step to project development toward requesting federal funding through a Capital Investment Grant (CIG). CIG funding could cover up to 60 percent of the total project costs.

“This is an important milestone in the process. With the FTA’s formal approval of the MetroLink expansion project, all costs incurred by Bi-State Development for the current environmental review and 30% design are now reimbursable through a future federal grant,” said Bi-State Development President and CEO Taulby Roach. “We are taking steps to ensure this key project for the St. Louis region moves forward.”

The environmental review and 30% design must be completed before a CIG can be awarded. Both tasks are expected to be completed next spring.

The 5.6-mile MetroLink Green Line expansion in the City of St. Louis would operate light rail vehicles at street level on Jefferson Avenue from Chippewa Street to the south to near Natural Bridge and Jefferson Avenue to the north. St. Louis voters approved a half-cent sales tax for MetroLink expansion in 2017.

The current estimated cost for the MetroLink Green Line is $1.1 billion. However, as the project team finalizes the design, it expects to reduce costs towards developing a more competitive project.

More information about the light rail project can be found online at MetroLinkGreenLine.com