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    Bi-State Development advances proposed north-south MetroLink expansion

    March 27, 2023
    The agency will secure a Program Management Consultant and fund preliminary planning for the Jefferson Alignment MetroLink Expansion project.
    Bi-State Development
    B-State Development is moving forward with planning the Jefferson Alignment MetroLink Expansion project to deliver a north-south MetroLink connection in St. Louis, Mo.
    B-State Development is moving forward with planning the Jefferson Alignment MetroLink Expansion project to deliver a north-south MetroLink connection in St. Louis, Mo.

    The Bi-State Development Board of Commissioners approved a resolution and Memorandum of Understanding allowing the agency to pursue the planning and development of a proposed expansion of the MetroLink system that would connect the neighborhoods near the Fairgrounds to Gravois Park/Dutchtown.

    The Jefferson Alignment MetroLink Expansion project was previously explored with the city of St. Louis, Mo., as part of the Northside-Southside MetroLink Expansion, which saw the city analyze various transit options along a north-south corridor followed by a more robust Northside-Southside MetroLink Corridor Study.

    Bi-State Development
    A map showing the proposed Jefferson Alignment in yellow.
    A map showing the proposed Jefferson Alignment in yellow.
    This new agreement, which is valid through Dec. 31, 2024, authorizes Bi-State Development to plan, design and develop the Jefferson Alignment MetroLink Expansion project, starting with the procurement of and contracting with a selected consultant as part of the Program Management Consultant (PMC) phase.

    Bi-State Development will oversee the PMC phase that will include supervision and oversight of the project during preliminary planning. The preliminary planning will allow Bi-State Development to apply for the federal government’s New Starts program, which, if approved, could cover up to 60 percent of the project cost, which is estimated at $850 million.

    Approximately $7.4 million in funding for Bi-State Development oversight and management services and outside consultant services will be paid through City MetroLink Capital Trust from the Missouri allocated COVID-19 funds.

    A Request for Proposals for the program management consultant has been issued with responses due on April 17. The Bi-State Development Board of Commissioners anticipates a vote to approve a consultant in late May 2023.

    About the Author

    Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

    Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

    Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content. 

    She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.  

    She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.

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    Bi-State Development
    Metro Link 2020 05 E1654870325603 Bi State Development
    St. Louis Metro
    The city of St. Louis says it will evaluate several options for high-capacity transit for the north-south corridor including light rail, bus, a hybrid option and others.
    Bi-State Development Agency of the Missouri-Illinois Metropolitan District (St. Louis Metro) (Metro)
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