The Bi-State Development Board of Commissioners approved modification to the Northside-Southside Study Contract at its Board meeting on Friday, Sept. 26. This will support an alternative analysis study to determine the feasibility of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system instead of light rail. The proposed 15-month, $10 million study, plus 10 percent contingency effort, will cover program management, environmental work, alternative analysis and preliminary design of the project up to 30 percent. This study modification will be funded by the City of St. Louis’ Metro City Capital Trust Fund.
The need to explore the validity of a BRT system in lieu of the St. Louis MetroLink Green Line came as a result of several factors. The information developed through 30 percent design phase of the proposed $1.1 billion St. Louis MetroLink Green Line project, coupled with the state of federal funding for transit, led to a determination by Metro Transit and its consulting team that the project was potentially not fundable at the federal level. During this same time frame, Mayor Cara Spencer expressed interest in determining a more economically viable means for providing transit access in the corridor.
The Federal Transit Administration has agreed that this shift in mode evaluation is acceptable for this proposed project to remain in the project development phase for the possible Capital Investment Grant (CIG) or Small Starts Program funding process. At the same time, Metro Transit has been directed to look into the 2017 City Sales Tax funding source to ensure it can legally remain a local funding match for the revised project.
“Transit investment matters and is critical in this corridor,” said Kimberly Cella, executive director of Citizens for Modern Transit. “As we have seen over the last 9 months, the transit industry and funding opportunities are changing. This pivot could position both the City of St. Louis and the region for a major federal investment in a large-scale transit capital project – one that not only improves access, but also delivers economic opportunity, strengthens regional connections and supports preservation and enhancement of existing neighborhoods. What matters most isn’t the mode at this time, but the outcome: enhanced access to jobs, healthcare and education through transit investment.”
To learn more, read Metro Transit Considers Shift to Bus Rapid Transit for Green Line Corridor
