More Frequent Bus Service Should Begin Next Year
A year from now transit service in St. Louis City & County will likely be different than it is today. Metro, AKA Bi-State, has held informational meetings and hearings on their new plan they call Metro Reimagined. Light rail (MetroLink) will be largely the same, the plan focuses on the bus system. Wheeled (non para-transit) transit will be divided into four categories:
- Enhanced Frequent: MetroBus routes with 15-minute or better service from morning to evening hours
- Local: 30-minute service from morning to evening hours on most MetroBus routes
- Commute Express: Regional service connecting Park & Ride lots to key employment destinations
- Community Mobility Zones: Service areas using smaller vehicles, vanpools or shuttles, or mobility on-demand options
Right now only the #70 Grand is considered “enhanced frequent.” Here are the routes that could see improvements to frequency:
- 4 Natural Bridge
- 10 Gravois-Lindell
- 16 Metro City Limits
- 61 Chambers Rd
- 70 Grand
- 73 Broadway-Carondelet
- 74 Florissant
- 90 Hampton
- 94 Page
- 95 Kingshighway
The 73 isn’t the current 73 — it has been straightened out to improve efficiency. This less circuitous route means this line will not go down all the side streets it currently does.
The other big change comes to niche areas — called Community Mobility Zones, The colorful wrap on the 99 Downtown Trolley buses, shown below, has already been removed. These full length low-floor buses weren’t being driven as many miles as others in the fleet.
Most of the routes I use will get increased frequency, but I’m concerned about the wheelchair accessibility of whatever will replace the 99 Downtown Trolley. When that route began it used short high-floor buses, but later switched to full-length low-floor buses. A ramp is better than a lift — I was stuck on a malfunctioning lift once. But many smaller vehicles have a high floor which means a lift, increased boarding time, and may require securements due to a higher center of gravity. The convenient downtown circulator I use may not be so convenient anymore.
— Steve Patterson