urbanSTL

leeharveyawesome wrote: ↑

Mar 10, 2025

Auggie wrote: ↑

Mar 10, 2025

leeharveyawesome wrote: ↑

Mar 10, 2025

Yeah I guess so maybe. I don't know, it works in some places. Although I generally support the idea, running a real Metrolink train into one the least populated "urban" areas in North America could potentially be seen as gimmicky as well especially when outsiders or newcomers who might be different aren't generally welcomed with open arms.

Trackless trams haven't been built outside of China because they're essentially just buses that look like trains. They incur all the same costs as buses in road maintenance and tire pollution. And they require a dedicated lane that's blocked off if you want to maximize their utility. All of this to save money on rails and overhead wires.....just make the existing bus better.

As for the Green Line, America used to build heavy rail lines into totally undeveloped areas to spur development. Some of the most in-demand places in the country are also the most transit rich (the same applies for St. Louis). The problem is that we don't have enough of them.

I guess I just prefer my busses to look like trains.

As far as Green Line, if someone can make a promise that we will replicate the success of the Wellston stop then all aboard! I often resort to a mild detachment of reality in order to survive as well. I'm human.

This type of rhetoric is exactly why St. Louis will never thrive and will always suffer.

I guess it's just a coincidence that the central corridor has seen a higher rate of growth than anywhere else in the MSA. You're right, probably was in spite of MetroLink, we definitely shouldn't expand it to struggling parts of the city. A street like Cherokee definitely can go without, because we know it's so easy to drive around there and park and definitely not a headache at all.

Auggie wrote: ↑

Mar 10, 2025

leeharveyawesome wrote: ↑

Mar 10, 2025

Auggie wrote: ↑

Mar 10, 2025

Trackless trams haven't been built outside of China because they're essentially just buses that look like trains. They incur all the same costs as buses in road maintenance and tire pollution. And they require a dedicated lane that's blocked off if you want to maximize their utility. All of this to save money on rails and overhead wires.....just make the existing bus better.

As for the Green Line, America used to build heavy rail lines into totally undeveloped areas to spur development. Some of the most in-demand places in the country are also the most transit rich (the same applies for St. Louis). The problem is that we don't have enough of them.

I guess I just prefer my busses to look like trains.

As far as Green Line, if someone can make a promise that we will replicate the success of the Wellston stop then all aboard! I often resort to a mild detachment of reality in order to survive as well. I'm human.

This type of rhetoric is exactly why St. Louis will never thrive and will always suffer.

I guess it's just a coincidence that the central corridor has seen a higher rate of growth than anywhere else in the MSA. You're right, probably was in spite of MetroLink, we definitely shouldn't expand it to struggling parts of the city. A street like Cherokee definitely can go without, because we know it's so easy to drive around there and park and definitely not a headache at all.

Cherokee should be a destination in our city (it’s one of the most eclectic streets out there and I’ve traveled a lot - makes me chuckle when I go to many other cities’ “offbeat commercial street” and it’s as offbeat as Euclid). But tourists and all the population in the central corridor rarely go because it’s not the easiest to get to by transit and spend the day, drink, stroll etc. Especially for visitors downtown and pre-downtown events, Cherokee would all of a sudden be very attractive to pop on the green line to and from downtown west.

delmar2debaliviere2downtown wrote: ↑

Mar 10, 2025

Auggie wrote: ↑

Mar 10, 2025

leeharveyawesome wrote: ↑

Mar 10, 2025

I guess I just prefer my busses to look like trains.

As far as Green Line, if someone can make a promise that we will replicate the success of the Wellston stop then all aboard! I often resort to a mild detachment of reality in order to survive as well. I'm human.

This type of rhetoric is exactly why St. Louis will never thrive and will always suffer.

I guess it's just a coincidence that the central corridor has seen a higher rate of growth than anywhere else in the MSA. You're right, probably was in spite of MetroLink, we definitely shouldn't expand it to struggling parts of the city. A street like Cherokee definitely can go without, because we know it's so easy to drive around there and park and definitely not a headache at all.

Cherokee should be a destination in our city (it’s one of the most eclectic streets out there and I’ve traveled a lot - makes me chuckle when I go to many other cities’ “offbeat commercial street” and it’s as offbeat as Euclid). But tourists and all the population in the central corridor rarely go because it’s not the easiest to get to by transit and spend the day, drink, stroll etc. Especially for visitors downtown and pre-downtown events, Cherokee would all of a sudden be very attractive to pop on the green line to and from downtown west.

Hadn't been down there in a while but went to lunch with my dad at Bluewood on Saturday and I forgot what it looks like on a nice sunny day. Lots of people walking, next to no street parking available (in the main strip), and extreme congestion. Desperately needs better transit connections.

From my Uber and Lyft driving days I can tell you that tourists who are aware of Cherokee Street are repeat customers. I'm talking about people who come here annually for conventions or events like Arch Madness.

Those who know about it make it a point to get there.

Of course the Green Line will make that much easier but I don't see why there isn't a more direct route from downtown to Cherokee now by bus. Metro Planner has it almost half an hour no matter where you are downtown.

The Surprising Success of Gondola Transit Systems 

I know we have already seen some flashy tech bro renderings of similar systems, but gondolas do have legitimate use cases. Perhaps some here in STL?

IMO the best route would connect to the Airport T1 station with stops at Riverport, The Streets of St. Charles, somewhere around the intersection of Main St. and 2nd, then finishing at the Lindenwood campus. Maybe a park and ride in there somewhere too

The High Cost of Transportation in the United States

https://itdp.org/2024/01/24/high-cost-t ... ed-states/

GoHarvOrGoHome wrote: ↑

Apr 11, 2025

IMO the best route would connect to the Airport T1 station with stops at Riverport, The Streets of St. Charles, somewhere around the intersection of Main St. and 2nd, then finishing at the Lindenwood campus. Maybe a park and ride in there somewhere too

Also sounds like a doable metrolink expansion if Lambert Terminal project would incorporate as such.   Slight change in alignment and new T1 metrolink station as part of the garage rebuild.

Did the Lime scooters go away? None show up in the app

quincunx wrote:Did the Lime scooters go away? None show up in the app

Maybe both failed to renew their operating permits? I think they managed to renew them but are facing some other difficulties.

Bi-State Development Announces Next Chief Operating Officer to Lead Metro Transit

[ST. LOUIS, MO/May 14, 2025] Bi-State Development announced the selection of Ronald Forrest as the next Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Metro Transit. Forrest joins Bi-State Development on June 2. He brings an extensive background in transportation management and operational excellence to the top Metro Transit position. The leadership transition comes as current Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Charles Stewart prepares to retire at the end of June.

“Chuck has been a pivotal figure in Metro Transit’s growth and success over the last several years, and his dedication to public service has left a lasting impact on our organization as well as the communities we serve,” said Taulby Roach, President and CEO of Bi-State Development. “We are deeply grateful for his contributions and wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.”

Forrest, who was selected from a pool of interested candidates from around the nation, brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in public transit to his new role at Metro Transit. Forrest successfully led numerous initiatives at other transit agencies to enhance transportation systems and improve customer experiences. His expertise in project management and community engagement has consistently delivered results that prioritize accessibility and sustainability. His dedication to fostering collaboration makes him an excellent fit to guide Metro Transit’s future growth.

Most recently, Forrest served as Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Metro Transit in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he and his team were responsible for delivering approximately 60 million customer trips annually in the Twin Cities region. His experience, strategic vision and commitment to innovation aligns with Metro Transit’s commitment to enhancing efficiency, promoting inclusion and safety, and elevating customer service across MetroBus, MetroLink, Metro Call-A-Ride, and Transit Assets operations.

"We are excited to welcome Ronald to our transit team," Roach said. "His extensive expertise in operations management and his dedication to innovation and customer-centric solutions will be invaluable to our mission of delivering world-class transit services."

"We look forward to Ronald joining the team next month," said Sam Gladney, Chair of the Bi-State Development Board of Commissioners. "His forward-thinking leadership and proven track record of operational success will be critical as we shape the future of public transit and remain dedicated to exceeding the expectations of the communities we serve."

This is a good addition and replacement of Charles, who was not great. Ronald previously worked at MARTA (Atlanta), SFMTA (San Francisco), SacRT (Sacramento, Light Rail Operations), and Metro (Minneapolis)

The Most Ignored Speed Limit In America Is Staying At 55 MPH https://www.jalopnik.com/1876733/most-ignored-speed-limit-in-america-staying-at-55-mph/

Kehoe cut $5M of the $10M in general revenue state transit funding. This state can't even come up with $1 per person for transit. Pathetic.

And it will still cost the user more than transit.

Federally funded local project by county: Some notes; these can change as time goes, year 4 is usually light and gets more populated in next years 4 year plann

STL city https://www.ewgateway.org/wp-content/up ... s-City.pdf

STL county: https://www.ewgateway.org/wp-content/up ... County.pdf

St.Charles county https://www.ewgateway.org/wp-content/up ... County.pdf

Franklin https://www.ewgateway.org/wp-content/up ... County.pdf

Jefferson. https://www.ewgateway.org/wp-content/up ... County.pdf

Madison (IL) https://www.ewgateway.org/wp-content/up ... County.pdf

Monroe (IL) https://www.ewgateway.org/wp-content/up ... Monroe.pdf

St.Clair (IL) https://www.ewgateway.org/wp-content/up ... County.pdf

$0 in state funding going towards anything other than highways and we know what direction the feds are going in. We are in for a very bleek era for people who think we need more than just car Infrastructure.

Auggie wrote: ↑

Aug 04, 2025

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/gov ... -top-story

MoDOT taking bids to study possible new inter-city bus routes to fill gaps left by private bus companies.

Some possible routes include St. Louis to southwest Missouri, St. Louis to Hannibal, Columbia to Jefferson City, Jefferson City to Rolla, etc.

The study would be finished by 2027.

Sounds good but the best MoDOT seems to be able to do for non-car transport is commission studies. Like that one they did of rail between St. Louis and Springfield, just gathering dust somewhere. 

PeterXCV wrote: ↑

Aug 04, 2025

Auggie wrote: ↑

Aug 04, 2025

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/gov ... -top-story

MoDOT taking bids to study possible new inter-city bus routes to fill gaps left by private bus companies.

Some possible routes include St. Louis to southwest Missouri, St. Louis to Hannibal, Columbia to Jefferson City, Jefferson City to Rolla, etc.

The study would be finished by 2027.

Sounds good but the best MoDOT seems to be able to do for non-car transport is commission studies. Like that one they did of rail between St. Louis and Springfield, just gathering dust somewhere. 

True, but buses cost less than trains, and the state can just contract a private company to run some of these routes. They already use federal money to subsidize some bus routes.

I am significantly more confident that some form of state funded inter-city bus system will exist someday in the near future than STL-Springfield trains.

I’d want them to use the gateway transportation center but almost feel a hub out of the new ground transportation center at Lambert would be even more successful from a ridership perspective.

addxb2 wrote: ↑

Aug 04, 2025

I’d want them to use the gateway transportation center but almost feel a hub out of the new ground transportation center at Lambert would be even more successful from a ridership perspective.

I don't really see why Lambert couldn't just be a stop on the route with Downtown being the terminus.

Stl PR - Royal Kingshighway headache set to end as construction wraps this fall


https://www.stlpr.org/government-politi ... -this-fall