On August 24, Bi-State Development/Metro Transit held a ribbon cutting ceremony marking the completion of the new Secure Platform Plan (SPP) and fare collection project. In attendance were various representatives of both the public and private sector, including City of St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page, Connor Torossian of the Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski of Illinois, other stakeholders, contractors and riders.
History of the SPP Project:
In 2017, Jacobs Engineering performed a System Barrier Study focused on providing suggestions for securing the MetroLink alignment and increasing safety & security on the system. The study included a cost estimate for the design and implementation of retrofitting barriers along the entire system.
In the summer of 2022, the Bi-State Development Board of Commissioners authorized the project to move forward under the guidance of HNTB. During 2022 and 2023, the project team oversaw a community engagement campaign aimed at gathering public input on the project including project presentations and open house events.
Construction began in 2024 on the gating system, with a phased approach that saw the MetroLink alignment, consisting of 38 stations across Missouri and St. Clair County, Illinois, divided into 4 “packages” with construction for each package beginning at different times. A 39th MetroLink Station will soon come online when the MidAmerica Airport MetroLink Station opens in Fall 2026.
Phase 1, which included 4 MetroLink stations, was completed in Fall 2024. Phase 2, which included 7 MetroLink stations, was completed in Spring 2025. Phase 3, which included 20 MetroLink stations, and Phase 4, which included the remaining 7 MetroLink stations, were completed in Spring 2026. In addition, Metro Transit moved to a new fare system along with the the Secure Platform Plan.
Fare System Upgrades:
Metro Transit’s fare system upgrades were rolled out in three phases during Summer 2026. These upgrades affected both MetroLink AND MetroBus riders. Upgrades to the fare collection system include:
To learn more about the Secure Platform Plan, visit Metro Transit’s project page here. To learn more about the fare collection system, visit Metro Transit’s fare page here.
