Passengers who use the busy Civic Center Transit Center in downtown St. Louis will have to pick up their MetroBuses at a different site starting Monday, as work on an expansion project begins.
Eighteen MetroBus routes will be relocated about two blocks away to Clark Avenue and 18th Street near the Union Station MetroLink Station. Riders can find their routes in one of four designated zones.
The Civic Center Transit Center, located at 14th and Spruce, currently serves about 7,000 passengers a day on average, making it one of the area’s busiest hubs, according to Metro spokesperson Patti Beck.
The expansion project will include space for 18 bus bays and two Metro Call-a-Ride bays, moving buses off of 14th Street. The space will also be able to accommodate 60-foot buses and possibly in the future, electric buses, Beck said.
“What we’re doing is enhancing, consolidating and making the connections more efficient for our customers, while at the same time, giving them a better experience,” Beck said.
A new building also will be constructed at the Civic Center site to provide passenger amenities, including: an indoor waiting area, digital arrival time boards, public restrooms, a public safety office, and, eventually, a concession area.
“We would hope that MetroBus ridership would continue to grow, and in consolidating the busy Transit Center, it will be more convenient to be able to connect to downtown St. Louis, to connect to MetroLink, and other MetroBus routes.”
Construction is expected to begin by the end of the month and last about 18 months. During that time, the Civic Center Transit Center MetroLink station will remain open, though service may be adjusted.
While Beck said the rerouting moves MetroBuses only “a short distance away,” she said there have been some questions and concerns from passengers, including those with disabilities.
“It is an inconvenience, but to grow there are some inconveniences,” she said. “But we’ve made it as accessible as possible and kept the customers in mind.”
Beck said Metro worked with the city to install new, wider sidewalks up to ADA-specifications at the Union Station area and to re-stripe crosswalks. New shelters, benches and signage have also been installed.
Additionally, Metro personnel will be by the Union Station entrance on the east end on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to assist passengers.
“They’ll be out there talking to passengers and riders to let them know about this change and where they’ll be able to find their buses,” Beck said.
- #4 Natural Bridge
- #8 Bates-Morganford
- #10 Gravois-Lindell
- #11 Chippewa
- #30 Soulard
- #32 ML King-Chouteau
- #41 Lee
- #73 Carondelet
- #74 Florissant
- #78 Larimore
- #80 Park-Shaw
- #94 Page
- #97 Delmar
- #99 Downtown Trolley
- #40X I-55 Express
- #58X Twin Oaks Express
- #174X North Express
- #410X Eureka Express
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