NextStop Blog
September 16, 2011
Bus Stop Evaluation Program: #04 Natural Bridge and the #48 South Lindbergh
Return to BlogEnjoy the cooler weather and spend some time outdoors this weekend. As promised, find below the list of the proposed MetroBus stops under consideration for removal for the following routes:
#04 Natural Bridge
#48 South Lindbergh
These stops are being proposed for elimination as part of Metro’s Bus Stop Evaluation Program to make the system more efficient and faster.
Please submit your comments for the #04 and #48 by Monday, October 3, 2011.
Please submit your comments for the #49 and #94 by Monday, September 26, 2011.
NS – Nearside of the street-before you cross the street
FS – Farside of the street-after you cross the street
MB – Midblock after the street midway down
Categories:
The #48 shouldn’t be using Clayton Road at all. I remember when it was #49 and it stayed on Lindbergh and picked up highway 40 going to the Ballas Transit Center and the #58 handled the Clayton Road part. The westbound #58 has to fight a very sharp and narrow turn at Spoede and Clayton Road just to go to get on highway 40 And they normaly use a big bus on that line. It can handle the turn at Ballas and Clayton better than at Spoede. We need to have #48 go Lindbergh to highway 40, and 40 to the Ballas Transit Center and onto Mercy St. Louis Hospital. And give both directions on Clayton Road back to #58.
why is the #4 Natural Bridge being proposed for route elimination?
Barbara, the route is not being proposed for elimination; it’s only a few of the stops along the route that are being proposed for elimination. We have too many bus stops in our system, causing extra cost and wear and tear on buses, and extra time on the route. The route itself is definitely staying.
The stops at Bodley and also at Washington are just fine and they should be left alone.
Thanks for your feedback Patrick. I forwarded it to planning and am waiting for a response!
Really something that now each time these bus stop evaluations come up, some troll or some stupid psychic comes on here and trolls this. Metro is NOT out to take down routes. They are to evaluate the STOPS!! I have learned that if you pick up or drop off a passenger with a turning channel right outside your bus and you are seen doing it, they will write you up for it! Now there is one that is in a turning channel that needs to be moved BACK over to the south side in front of the used car dealership. And that is the one on Southbound N. Kirkwood Road at Manchester Road. There is a right hand turning channel there. And that is a no-no.
The N. Garrison stops on the Natural Bridge route should remain. If the proposed stops are eliminated, it will require people on the north end of the Lindell Park neighborhood to walk father (to Grand) to access the bus. The neighborhood is not the safest and additional travel to Grand is not advisable, especially at evening/night or early mornings when school children use the bus.
Thanks for your input, Crystal. I will pass your comments on to our Planning Department.
So; do I understand that the concern is NOT for the passengers/riders/public who will now have to walk further (or scoot in their wheelchair) to be able to get on a bus, but that the corporation is concerned that they, “have too many bus stops in our system, causing extra cost and wear and tear on buses.”?
Jackie, I definitely understand your concern, and hopefully I can exain the reason for the evaluation program. Currently, the system has many extra stops, over 8000k, and some that are used rarely, or the stop is considered unsafe for either passengers or drivers or both. Only 10% of bus stops will be evaluated for removal, and stops are kept if there is community need or demand. But fewer stops does help the system become more efficient (one of several programs to improve) and a more effcient system means more service is kept on the streets and less money spent on buses and fuel. Data and better information really has the potential to improve and make transit more efficient and better running.
Hi Courtney!
To respond to Jackie – I understand where you are coming from. From my perspective, the bus system here is difficult to use because it is, in my experience, typically 4-12 minutes late on average, unless you catch it at the beginning of a run. I’ve missed connections more times than I can count due to late buses, or buses that simply didn’t arrive – and our headways are long as it is. I am somewhat encouraged that Metro is trying to streamline their stops. I hope this will go a ways to help the buses meet schedule, but I will reserve judgement until I can actually ride the “streamlined” system.