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| St. Louis Streetcar | |
|---|---|
| Name | St. Louis Streetcar |
| Caption | A modern streetcar unit on a downtown St. Louis alignment |
| Locale | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Transit type | Streetcar |
| Began operation | 2018 |
| Owner | Bi-State Development Agency |
| Operator | Metro Transit |
| Vehicles | Siemens S70, heritage trolley prototypes |
| System length | 5.6 mi (initial) |
| Lines | 1 (initial) |
| Stations | 11 (initial) |
St. Louis Streetcar The St. Louis streetcar is a modern urban light rail-type streetcar system operating in St. Louis, Missouri that revived earlier 19th- and 20th-century tramway traditions in the city. The system connects central business districts, cultural institutions, and waterfront redevelopment areas, linking projects and organizations across the Gateway Arch National Park, Washington University in St. Louis, and downtown corridors. Planning, funding, and construction involved coordination among municipal, regional, and federal entities including the City of St. Louis, Great Rivers Greenway, Bi-State Development, and the Federal Transit Administration.
Early mass transit in St. Louis included horsecar and electric trolley operations operated by companies such as the St. Louis Street Railway Company and the United Railways before consolidation under private operators and later municipal influence. Decline of historic networks mirrored trends in Detroit, Chicago, and New York City as bus conversions accelerated post-World War II with influences from automotive interests and policy shifts in the 1950s. Preservationists and urbanists including scholars from Washington University in St. Louis, advocates from Gateway Foundation, and members of the National Trust for Historic Preservation documented heritage lines and lobbied for revival in the late 20th century. The modern project evolved through planning initiatives led by East-West Gateway Council of Governments, funding applications to the Federal Transit Administration New Starts program, local ballot measures endorsed by the Board of Aldermen (St. Louis), and private-public partnerships involving McCormack Baron Salazar and development entities for the Laclede's Landing and Chouteau's Landing areas.
The initial route runs from Tucker Boulevard through the Washington Avenue Historic District to the Civic Center (St. Louis) area and down to St. Louis Union Station adjacent to the Mississippi River waterfront. Proposed expansions have been studied for corridors linking Delmar Boulevard, Skinker Boulevard, Lindell Boulevard, Grand Boulevard, and Market Street to reach neighborhoods such as The Hill, Soulard, Central West End, Cortex, and Old North St. Louis. Intermodal connections include transfers to MetroLink (St. Louis), MetroBus (St. Louis), Amtrak at Gateway Transportation Center, and shuttle services for events at Busch Stadium and the Enterprise Center. Planning reports referenced examples from Portland Streetcar, Seattle Streetcar, and Tampa Streetcar while aligning with riverfront redevelopment plans by The Missouri Botanical Garden and St. Louis Development Corporation.
Track and right-of-way construction employed embedded rail and traditional ballasted sections near historic districts, with signals coordinated with the Missouri Department of Transportation and traffic engineers from St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department traffic division. Electrification uses overhead catenary systems and onboard energy storage prototypes studied with partners such as Siemens Mobility and manufacturers modeled after the S70 family used in multiple US cities. Stations incorporate transit-oriented development principles promoted by Urban Land Institute and feature accessibility standards from the Americans with Disabilities Act compliance guidance. Ancillary facilities include maintenance and storage yards sited in coordination with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources brownfield redevelopment programs and workforce training supported by St. Louis Community College and Laborers' International Union of North America.
Operational oversight is provided by Bi-State Development, marketed under the Metro (St. Louis) brand, with service planning coordinated through the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District and municipal departments for street operations. Governance involved intergovernmental agreements with the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County, and federal grant oversight from the Federal Transit Administration. Service contracts, procurement, and labor relations engaged unions such as the Amalgamated Transit Union and legal counsel referencing case law from Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals precedents on transit procurement. Fare integration discussions considered compatibility with the Gateway Card system and payment technology providers used by systems in Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Ridership metrics have been analyzed by Bi-State Development and independent evaluators from University of Missouri–St. Louis and reflect weekend and event-driven peaks associated with attractions like the Gateway Arch National Park, CityMuseum, Saint Louis Science Center, and sporting venues including Busch Stadium and Chaifetz Arena. Economic impact studies cited catalytic development at NorthSide Regeneration sites, increased property values along corridors studied by National Association of Realtors, and comparisons to transit-oriented successes in Minneapolis–Saint Paul and Kansas City. Community impact assessments involved outreach with neighborhood organizations such as CWE Neighborhood Association, Soulard Restoration Group, and civic groups including the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Operation Brightside.
Long-range plans consider extensions to Lambert–St. Louis International Airport, Brentwood, and suburban centers like Creve Coeur and Clayton with phased environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act and funding pursuits through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Strategic planning scenarios reference federal modal studies from the Federal Transit Administration and case studies from Cincinnati Streetcar and Kansas City Streetcar for ridership modeling, financing, and public-private partnership structures involving entities such as Pritzker Prize-related foundations and regional philanthropies. Continued coordination with regional transit initiatives led by the East-West Gateway Council of Governments and workforce development partnerships with Saint Louis University aim to sustain operations and expand service to underserved neighborhoods.
Category:Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri