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MetroLink Can Help Rush Hour Motorists Avoid Delays During Bridge Construction

MetroLink is a great option for motorists travelling from Missouri to Illinois who want to avoid bumper-to-bumper traffic and extensive delays expected with the closure of two lanes on the Poplar Street Bridge. To accommodate critical repairs to the bridge surface, the Illinois Department of Transportation closed two eastbound lanes on the Poplar Street Bridge on Monday, June 10. The lanes are expected to reopen by July 3.

“Motorists crossing the Poplar Street Bridge into Illinois will face significant delays, especially during rush hour, caused by the lane closures for the bridge work. Combine that with the ongoing closure of the Martin Luther King Bridge, and MetroLink is clearly the better option if their destination is downtown St. Louis, Cortex, Central West End, Clayton or any of the other communities served by our light rail system,” said Jessica Mefford-Miller, Executive Director of Metro Transit. “MetroLink is not impacted by the bridge construction or traffic congestion, and it gives riders the precious gift of extra time in their day that they can use to relax, catch up on work or enjoy a good book.”

Commuters from Illinois can take advantage of more than 5,600 free parking spaces found at 10 MetroLink stations in Illinois. For commuters who live in Missouri, two good options include the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 Transit Center (located near Shrewsbury Ave. and I-44) and the Brentwood I-64 Transit Center (located near Brentwood Blvd. and I-64), which offer more than 1,700 free parking spaces and easy access to destinations in both Missouri and Illinois. For information about all of Metro Transit’s free Park-Ride options, visit metrostlouis.org/park-and-ride.

To plan your rush hour commute on MetroLink:

• Download Transit app to your mobile device
• Visit metrostlouis.org to use the online trip planner, or check schedules and maps
• Contact Metro Transit Information for assistance – available by phone at 314-231-2345/618-271-2345 or by text at 314-207-9786, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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.