As Metro prepares to open the new Cortex MetroLink Station, Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) would like to salute the transit agency, and the many others, who worked to make this development a reality. CMT is honored to have played a key role in this project, particularly in its early stages… Well done St. Louis.
With support from Washington University, BJC Healthcare, Cortex Innovation Community and Great Rivers Greenway, CMT submitted a grant application in October 2010 to conduct a Central Corridor Feasibility Study for a potential new, in-fill MetroLink Station between the Central West End and Grand MetroLink Stations at the site of the new Cortex Development
In December 2012, CMT was awarded a federal grant under the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Program to conduct the Central Corridor Feasibility Study. A public-private partnership between CMT, Washington University, BJC HealthCare, Great Rivers Greenway and Cortex raised the local match needed to move the Central Corridor Feasibility Study forward.
CMT released an RFP for the study and conceptual cost estimates for transit modifications to the Central Corridor in April 2013. Several months later, CMT awarded the feasibility study contract to Lochmueller Group (formerly Bernardin Lochmueller & Associates) and helped lead the year-long initiative with the help of Washington University, BJC Healthcare, Cortex Innovative Community, Metro and Great Rivers Greenway.
In the spring of the following year, CMT released results of the Central Corridor Feasibility Study. From there CMT, Metro, Washington University, BJC Healthcare, Cortex Innovation Community, Great Rivers Greenway and others worked together, drawing on Central Corridor Feasibility Study findings, to craft a federal grant application to fund a new, in-fill station; improvements to the existing Central West End Station, and the development of a portion of the Chouteau Greenway bike and pedestrian path.
Senator McCaskill’s office announced in September 2014 that the project was approved for capital funding and would receive a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant, in the amount of $10.3 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Metro broke ground on the Cortex MetroLink Station in June 2017 and construction officially began on the first addition to the MetroLink System since the opening of the Cross County Extension in 2006.
We are now excitedly awaiting the grand opening of the Cortex MetroLink Station this summer.
Check out this video with more information.