MetroSouth Corridor
Encyclopedia
The MetroSouth Corridor is a proposed light rail
alignment for the St. Louis MetroLink
light rail system in St. Louis, Missouri
, USA. The proposed alignment would extend the Blue Line
southwards from its current terminus at Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44
to as far as Butler Hill Rd.
. The resulting light rail alternatives from this study were then broken up into three segments: segment 1 became the Blue Line and was completed in 2006, segment 2 became the MetroSouth Corridor, and segment 3 became the MetroNorth Corridor.
Detailed planning and environmental impact study of the MetroSouth corridor south of Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 began in 2002 and was completed in 2005, but a final decision on a locally preferred alternative was deferred due to the lack of a source of funding.
terminating at Butler Hill Rd. The Orange alternative would follow the River des Peres
until reaching I-55 where it turns to follow the highway southwards terminating at either Reavis Barracks Rd or Butler Hill Rd. The Purple alternative would extend the Blue Line by only 1 station, following the River des Peres and Watson Rd before terminating near Kenrick Plaza.
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
alignment for the St. Louis MetroLink
St. Louis Metrolink
MetroLink is the light rail transit system in the Greater St. Louis area of Missouri and the Metro East area of Illinois. The entire system currently consists of two lines connecting Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and Shrewsbury, MO with Scott Air Force Base near Shiloh, Illinois through...
light rail system in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, USA. The proposed alignment would extend the Blue Line
Blue Line (St. Louis MetroLink)
The Blue Line of the St. Louis MetroLink is a light rail service operating between 24 stations in Greater St. Louis. It is the newest line in the system.-Route description:The Blue Line branch starts in Shrewsbury just west of River des Peres...
southwards from its current terminus at Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44
Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 (St. Louis Metrolink)
The Shrewsbury–Lansdowne I-44 St. Louis MetroLink station is located on Lansdowne Ave at River Des Peres Boulevard in Shrewsbury and St. Louis, Missouri, near Interstate 44. The city limits line between the two communities runs through the station and parking facilities...
to as far as Butler Hill Rd.
History
Planning for the MetroSouth Corridor began in 1993 with the initial study of the Cross County Corridor which analyzed alternatives to improve north-south movements through the central portion of St. Louis CountySt. Louis County, Missouri
St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Its county seat is Clayton. St. Louis County is part of the St. Louis Metro Area wherein the independent City of St. Louis and its suburbs in St. Louis County, as well as the surrounding counties in both Missouri and Illinois all...
. The resulting light rail alternatives from this study were then broken up into three segments: segment 1 became the Blue Line and was completed in 2006, segment 2 became the MetroSouth Corridor, and segment 3 became the MetroNorth Corridor.
Detailed planning and environmental impact study of the MetroSouth corridor south of Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 began in 2002 and was completed in 2005, but a final decision on a locally preferred alternative was deferred due to the lack of a source of funding.
Proposed alternatives
At the conclusion of the MetroSouth study in 2005, three primary alignment alternatives remained under consideration: the Blue alternative, the Orange alternative, and the Purple alternative. From the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 station, the Blue alternative would run southwards adjacent to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railway terminating near Kenrick Plaza or continue to South County Center and then adjacent to I-55Interstate 55
Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
terminating at Butler Hill Rd. The Orange alternative would follow the River des Peres
River des Peres
The River des Peres is a metropolitan river in St. Louis, Missouri. It is the backbone of sanitary and stormwater systems in the city of St. Louis and portions of St. Louis County...
until reaching I-55 where it turns to follow the highway southwards terminating at either Reavis Barracks Rd or Butler Hill Rd. The Purple alternative would extend the Blue Line by only 1 station, following the River des Peres and Watson Rd before terminating near Kenrick Plaza.
| Alignment alternative | Length | Stations | Projected ridership | Cost (2010 dollars) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purple | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) | 1 | 550 - 600 | $83 - $91 million |
| Blue (Watson Rd) | 1.1 miles (1.8 km) | 1 | 550 - 600 | $630 - $700 million |
| Blue (Butler Hill) | 8.5 miles (13.7 km) | 5 | 9,500 - 10,500 | $630 - $700 million |
| Orange (Reavis Barracks) | 11 miles (17.7 km) | 4 | 7,100 - 7,500 | $307 - $340 million |
| Orange (Butler Hill) | 6.9 miles (11.1 km) | 6 | 9,000 - 9,900 | $587 - $649 million |