| Green Line | |
| Other Name: | Jefferson Alignment Northside/Southside |
| Type: | Light rail |
| System: | St. Louis MetroLink |
| Status: | Planned |
| Locale: | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Start: | Grand Boulevard/Fairground Park |
| End: | Chippewa Street |
| Stations: | 10 |
| Owner: | Bi-State Development Agency |
| Operator: | Metro Transit |
| Character: | At-grade street running |
| Depot: | Ewing Yard and Shops |
| Linelength Mi: | 5.8 |
| Map State: | collapsed |
The Green Line is a planned expansion of the MetroLink light rail system in St. Louis, Missouri. The north/south running line will be at-grade street running with a dedicated lane and will be the system's third line.
The need for a north/south MetroLink line was first identified during the East-West Gateway Council of Governments three corridor study in the year 2000.[1] Officials identified a northern locally perfered alternative (LPA) that would have connected downtown St. Louis to St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley that would have cost $485.5 million.[2] Additionally, a southern LPA was recommended to connect downtown St. Louis with Cross County Segment 2 via Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way and a new busway between Chouteau and Loughborough avenues. Despite recommending alternatives, local officials never moved these routes beyond the study phase. However, these suggestions would become the basis for future north/south transit planning in the St. Louis region.
In 2008, staff at East-West Gateway recommended three new LPAs for a north/south MetroLink line. The northern LPA would have run from 14th Street to a park-and-ride lot at Goodfellow Boulevard near Interstate 70.[3] The central LPA would have connected the northern and southern sections with a couplet on 9th and 10th streets in downtown St. Louis. The southern LPA would have run from 14th Street to a park-and-ride lot at Bayless via Jefferson Avenue and Interstate 55. After St. Louis County voters defeated Proposition M in November 2008, all MetroLink expansion plans were shelved.[4]
In 2017, St. Louis City voters passed Proposition 1, a half-cent sales tax estimated to generate about $12 million per year for MetroLink expansion.[5] The following year, East-West Gateway staff recommended an updated north/south LPA that would shorten the route to run between North Grand Boulevard and Chippewa Street via a couplet on 9th and 10th streets in downtown St. Louis. This route would have added 19 stations and cost approximately $667 million.[6]
In 2022, Bi-State Development approved an intergovernmental agreement with St. Louis County and the City of St. Louis allowing the parties to move forward on an expanded Northside-Southside MetroLink corridor study.[7]
In September 2023, Bi-State's board approved a 4-year, $18.9 million contract with the joint venture Northside-Southside Transit Partners to provide consulting services for the design phase of the project.[8] In February 2024, the East-West Gateway Council of Governments approved the updated locally preferred alternative along Jefferson thereby allowing the region to apply for federal funding.[9] [10]
The 5.8miles route would serve about 10 stations between Chippewa Street in South St. Louis and Grand Boulevard in North St. Louis running primarily on Jefferson Avenue. It would provide a fixed rail upgrade to Metro's #11 (Chippewa) and #4 (Natural Bridge) bus routes.[11] The 2023 design study estimates 5,000 daily boardings, $8-9 million in annual operating costs, and $1.1 billion in capital costs.
Metro will expand the Ewing Yard and Shops to maintain light rail vehicles for the proposed expansion.[12] [13]
The 5.8miles route would begin at the intersection of Natural Bridge Avenue and Grand Boulevard with a station at Fairground Park. It then continues east along Natural Bridge and then south on Parnell Street with a station at St. Louis Avenue. Continuing south as Parnell turns into Jefferson Avenue the line has stations at Cass Avenue and Martin Luther King Drive before entering downtown St. Louis. Downtown stations include Market Street and Scott Avenue/Ewing Yard where a transfer between the Red and Blue lines can be made. Continuing south on Jefferson the line has four more stations at Park Avenue, Gravois/Sidney Street, Cherokee Street and terminates at Chippewa Street.
From Grand/Fairground Park to Chippewa (north to south)
| Station | Transfer |
|---|---|
| Grand/Fairground Park | __ |
| Palm/Salisbury (Option) | |
| St. Louis Avenue | |
| Cass | |
| Dr. Martin Luther King Drive | |
| Market | |
| Scott Avenue/Ewing Yard | |
| Park | __ |
| Russell (Option) | |
| Gravois/Sidney | |
| Arsenal (Option) | |
| Cherokee | |
| Chippewa |
This extension would be a Phase II to the Jefferson Alignment and continue from the Grand/Fairground station along Natural Bridge Avenue toward North St. Louis County. This route would initially continue the fixed rail upgrade to Metro's high-volume #4 bus route along Natural Bridge.[14] In February 2023, Metro announced four routes for consideration by area residents:[15]