Transit Rider Input Sought By Metro For New MetroBus Transit Center In North County
Next Tuesday, October 7th, is the third and final event Metro will host to get customer input into changes to MetroBus routes once the new Transit Center opens about a year or so from now. From the press release:
Metro transit is inviting MetroBus customers and the public to learn more about the new North St. Louis County Transit Center at three upcoming informal meetings. The new transit center, which is scheduled to open in fall 2015, will be located at 3140 Pershall Road between West Florissant Avenue and New Halls Ferry Road in Ferguson. The new MetroBus facility will feature an indoor passenger waiting area, public restrooms, concessions, and a free Park-Ride lot.
The new Metro transit hub will transform bus service in the North St. Louis County which is one of Metro’s fastest growing public transit markets. It accounts for 19 percent of MetroBus and MetroLink ridership.
Since North County MetroBus routes will change when the new transit center opens, the open-house style meetings will be an opportunity for customers to help plan and shape MetroBus service. There will be no formal presentations so Metro employees can talk with MetroBus riders about their transit needs in North County. Riders will be encouraged to discuss options on how MetroBus routes should connect with this new facility and the surrounding communities.
The first two were held at St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley Student Center (September 30th) and North Hanley MetroLink Station (October 2nd). The 3rd will be at the Riverview-Hall Transit Center at 9021 Riverview Drive on Tuesday October 7th from 2pm-6pm.
The following nine MetroBus routes will get you to Riverview-Hall:
- 16 City Limits
- 27 North County Shuttle
- 36 Spanish Lake
- 40 Broadway
- 41 Lee
- 61 Chambers
- 75 Lilac-Hanley
- 90 Hampton
- 36x Bissell Hills Express
If you use public transit in North County it’s important Metro’s planners hear from you.
Yesterday I stopped by the 2nd event, at the North Hanley MetroLink station. I learned Metro planners want to know the locations where people use transit. Routes will change once the new transit center opens, they want to supplement the rider information they already have.
— Steve Patterson
I went to the first one, at Flo Valley. It’s early in the process and it’s the perfect time to give input. Staff are wanting to listen and want (and need) to know where and when people need to make connections. Much like not voting, then complaining about the stupid things politicians do, if you use transit in north county, NOW is when to let Metro know what should be happening, not after the schedules have been decided and published!
Last Thursday I was at the UMSL forum held in Midtown. One speaker brought up extending MetroLink into North County with the concept that jobs and businesses would follow. IMHO, an extension of the Red Line from the airport to Earth City and perhaps parallel to 370 into St. Charles County might be a better idea. After reading about other urban/suburban public transportation systems, what should be consider is zone fares and get away from the all you can ride plan.