Metro Upgrades Near UMSL Campus Complete
NORTH ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO (KTVI)-Metro Transit officials celebrated the completion of light-rail work near the UMSL South Metrolink Station.
Construction delays have been rough for Jessica Brooks.
“I work from 10 to 8 at night. I don’t get home until 11 when they do the extra stuff.”
Riders often were delayed during maintenance and construction because they had to leave their trains and get bussed around repair work near the UMSL South station. So, crews recently installed a new interlocking track nearby. Passengers had to pack their patience when coming through this station. Not even the university’s Chancellor got a free pass on that rough ride.
“Sometimes, I’m not paying attention. I’m reading a book at Hanley and then go back to the airport again,” UMSL Chancellor Tom George laughed. “But, having this interlocking track is great. We don’t have to worry about this bussing situation.”
Before, the closest signal house switched trains on the track four miles away. A new house sits much closer.
“That’s better,’ Brooks laughed, too.
The upgrades cost $10 million; most of that bill was paid from federal stimulus funds. But if time is money, Metro officials said they bought a shorter commute for its customers, including UMSL students.
“The easier we can make it for students to come here to class, get those degrees,” Chancellor George explained. “Then we can get them out into the workforce. And, that’s what we do. We drive the workforce economy here at UMSL.”
More info: Metro’s NextStop Blog
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