Construction of the Loop Trolley is causing roads to close at the edge of St. Louis and University City.
The intersection of DeBaliviere and Forest Park Parkway is now closed. Traffic will be rerouted around Forest Park for the next three weeks.
Drivers may detour on I-64 using the exit at Skinker Boulevard for eastbound travel and the exit at Vandeventer Avenue for westbound travel.
Forest Park Avenue between Kingshighway and Vandeventer Avenue will be open to local traffic only.
The last part of road construction related to the trolley was set to coincide with upcoming road construction that is to bring Forest Park Parkway up to grade level at Kingshighway. Developer BJC Healthcare postponed that project, but the Loop Trolley work moved ahead.
The detours will allow workers to rebuild the intersection of DeBaliviere and Forest Park Parkway and lay new track for the electric trolley. The final trolley path will circle more than 2 miles from the west end of The Loop and carry travelers through Forest Park near the Missouri History Museum.
Trolley construction began March 2015. Joe Edwards, who owns several properties in the Delmar Loop and who has spearheaded the trolley development, says this is one of the final segments of the trolley track to be laid.
"This is the last major one. This is the last time the traffic will be impacted on any intersection in a major way. And that’s pretty great. We’ve made it," said Edwards.
Edwards says the trolley will have a timely arrival.
“You’ll see, this fall, maybe in October, a trolley running down Delmar again. It’s been 50 years since the last streetcar operated in St. Louis. Fifty years this summer, and now it’s coming back.”
Forest Park Parkway is expected to reopen near the first week of August.
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