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Metro Transit Schedules Two Public Hearings

MetroBus riders said they wanted their buses to arrive more often, and starting September 30, buses are going to pull up more frequently at the bus stops on the majority of MetroBus routes in St. Louis County and in the City of St. Louis. Over the past two years, passenger input, community outreach, research data and system analysis have provided valuable information which Metro Transit used to finalize the Metro Reimagined plan to streamline every MetroBus route in Missouri. Customers provided input at every important step along the way to help create this new bus service that will better meet regional transportation needs.

The new MetroBus service plan will be implemented on September 30, and Metro Transit is inviting current, past and future MetroBus riders and the general public to attend one of two presentations to find out more about what is the first major overhaul of MetroBus service in Missouri in the last 10 years. The upcoming bus route changes will provide more frequent service, faster and more direct trips, improved weekend service, and more convenient options to get to work, school and other destinations.

To educate and prepare riders and future riders for the upcoming bus changes, Metro Transit will host two public hearings. The first public hearing will be held in the City of St. Louis on Monday, August 26, at the St. Louis Public Library Auditorium – Central Branch location at 1301 Olive Street, from 6 to 8 p.m. The second hearing will be on Thursday, August 29, held in St. Louis County at the University of Missouri St. Louis in the Millennium Student Center from 6 to 8 p.m.  A presentation of the final Metro Reimagined plan will be delivered at 6:15 p.m. at each hearing, followed by public comments. After the public comment portion, attendees will then have the opportunity to talk to Metro Transit team members one-on-one about how their current route or routes will change and how to plan their new MetroBus commutes.*  A live broadcast will be made available at metrostlouis.org/reimagined for interested individuals who are unable to attend the public hearings.

Riders on the majority of the Missouri MetroBus routes will see their buses coming more often, and this increase in frequency will make the bus system more convenient on a daily basis for more people. Starting September 30, 10 routes across St. Louis County and the City of St. Louis will provide bus service every 15 minutes during the day on weekdays. On another nearly three dozen routes, buses will come every 30 minutes starting September 30. MetroBus passengers, pedestrians and motorists driving along some of the MetroBus routes may have already noticed new purple stickers go up on about 1,100 bus stop signs. These stickers signal that the MetroBus stop is located along one of the 10 high-frequency routes. Currently, the #70 Grand route is the only high frequency route Metro Transit operates.

The 10 high frequency routes starting September 30 are:

• #11 Chippewa
• #16 City Limits
• #35 Rock Road
• #61 Chambers
• #70 Grand (10-minute service during the day)
• #73 Carondelet
• #74 Florissant
• #90 Hampton
• #94 Page
• #95 Kingshighway

Some current Missouri routes will be transformed into new, streamlined routes to create stronger connections to desired destinations and to eliminate deviations that added more time to the MetroBus trips. With some routes being straightened out to make the trips faster and more direct, MetroBus vehicles will no longer operate on some of the streets in St. Louis County and in the City of St. Louis where it currently does. Notices are being posted on nearly 1,200 bus stops along those streets and roads that will no longer be served, which are located all throughout the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County and were selected due to low current ridership. Yellow stickers will be posted to notify customers if a stop will no longer be in service on September 30, with information to learn about where to find the nearest bus stop.

In an effort to make the Missouri MetroBus service change as smooth as possible, in addition to the public hearings, Metro Transit teams will be hopping on buses to educate MetroBus customers about the changes and to help them prepare for what their new transit trip will look like on September 30. Metro Transit teams will also be visiting transit centers to speak with customers and will be working with community groups and other organizations to raise awareness and get the word out about the upcoming changes.

There are several options for MetroBus customers to find out more about the final plan. It is posted online at metrostlouis.org/reimagined with the new route maps, new schedules and new route information. Customers may also contact Metro Transit Information for details or for assistance planning their new transit trips, and a Metro team member will work with them one-on-one to suggest alternatives if their route is undergoing major changes. Metro Transit Information is available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. by phone at 314-231-2345 or by text at 314-207-9786.

MetroBus riders can also use their mobile phones to plan their new transit commute via the Transit app, available on iOS and Android devices. By going to the Settings menu and selecting ‘Metro Reimagined’, MetroBus riders will be able see the new schedules, route maps and see what their transit trips will look like starting September 30.

The new MetroBus Service Plan has been two years in the making as part of the Metro Reimagined project. After talking with riders and analyzing the feedback, adjustments were made to retain service in areas, where possible. The new MetroBus Service Plan will provide customers in Missouri with more frequent service, more weekend service and more convenient options for getting around town.

In addition to the 10 high frequency routes that will be introduced, 35 MetroBus routes will be providing 30-minute service during the day on weekdays, which is a substantial improvement from the 40-minute or 60-minute service many routes operate on today. Six express routes will provide direct connections with limited stops to key employment destinations, and six community routes will provide important connections in areas where there is lower ridership but still a need for some degree of bus service.

Weekend service is also being improved through the Metro Reimagined plan. MetroBus service on Sundays has been added to nearly all MetroBus routes, including many routes where buses currently do not run on Sundays. Service levels will also be consistent on Saturdays and Sundays. This improved service provides better options and more reliability for MetroBus riders throughout the weekend, not just one weekend day.

*To request interpretation services for the public hearings, call 314-231-2345 at least 72 hours prior to the public hearing you wish to attend.

About Metro Transit

Metro Transit operates the St. Louis region’s public transportation system which includes 400 clean-burning diesel buses that serve 83 MetroBus routes in eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois. Metro also operates MetroLink light rail vehicles on 46 miles of track serving 38 stations in the two-state area, and operates Metro Call-A-Ride, a paratransit fleet of 122 vans. Metro Transit is a Bi-State Development enterprise.