MetroLink (St. Louis)

For other systems of the same name, see Metrolink (disambiguation).
MetroLink
A St. Louis MetroLink train on the Blue Line
A St. Louis MetroLink train on the Blue Line
Overview
OwnerBi-State Development Agency
LocaleGreater St. Louis, Missouri–Illinois, U.S.
Transit typeLight rail
Number of lines2
Number of stations38
(1 under construction)
Daily ridership18,800 (weekdays, Q1 2024)[1]
Annual ridership6,717,900 (2023)[2]
HeadquartersOne Metropolitan Square
211 North Broadway
St. Louis, Missouri, 63102, U.S.
Websitemetrostlouis.org/metrolink
Operation
Began operationJuly 31, 1993 (1993-07-31)[3]
Operator(s)Metro Transit
Reporting marksBSDA
CharacterAt-grade, below-grade, elevated, subway
Number of vehicles75
Train length2 articulated vehicles
Headway10–20 minutes
Technical
System length46 mi (74 km)[4]
No. of tracks2
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line, 750 V DC[5][6]
Average speed24.7 mph (40 km/h)
Top speed65 mph (105 km/h)

MetroLink (reporting mark BSDA) is a light rail system that serves the Greater St. Louis area. Operated by Metro Transit in a shared fare system with MetroBus,[7] the two-line, 38-station system runs from St. Louis Lambert International Airport and Shrewsbury in Missouri to Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. Intermediate destinations include downtown Clayton, Forest Park, and downtown St. Louis. It is the only U.S. light rail system to cross state lines.

In 2023, MetroLink had about 6,717,900 riders.[2] As of the third quarter of 2020, its ridership ranked 11th among the country's light rail systems, and second only to Minneapolis Metro Transit in the Midwestern United States.[8]

MetroLink shares some characteristics of a light metro or rapid transit service,[9][10] including a completely independent right-of-way, a higher top speed, and level boarding at all platforms.[10][11]

  1. ^ "Transit Ridership Report First Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  3. ^ "History – The 1990s – MetroLink". Bi-State Development Agency (Metro). 2010. Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  4. ^ "Procurement Information". Bi-State Development Agency (Metro). 2010. Archived from the original on August 18, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  5. ^ St.Louis Metro Link Project, Final Environmental Impact Statement. U.S. Department of Transportation Urban Mass Transportation Administration, East-West Gateway Coordinating Council. October 9, 1987. pp. 2–26. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  6. ^ "A Lesson for Jacksonville: The St. Louis Metrolink". Metro Jacksonville. April 9, 2009. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  7. ^ "Fare Increase 2014". Metrostlouis.org. Archived from the original on April 16, 2016. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
  8. ^ "APTA Q3 2020 Light Rail Transit Ridership Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 3, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  9. ^ Track Design Handbook for Light Rail Transit. Transportation Research Board. 2012. ISBN 978-0-309-25824-1.
  10. ^ a b "Joint International Light Rail Conference" (PDF). Onlinepubs.trb.org. p. 671. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  11. ^ Henry, Lyndon (2006). Sharing of Rail Transit Infrastructure by Streetcars and Larger Light Rail Vehicles: Design and Operational Issues. ISBN 978-1-931594-23-3. Archived from the original on January 24, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2020.