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MetroSouthPlanning MetroLink in South St. Louis County

Metro South MetroLink Extension Alternatives Analysis and

Draft Environmental Impact Statement

Metro South

Presentation to

TEAM

October 19, 2004

East-West Gateway Council of Governments


Outline of Presentation

www.metrosouthstudy.org

• Review the Purpose and Need and the Detailed Alternatives

• Review community engagement activities

• Discuss the pros/cons of each of the build alternatives

• Discuss key external factors to consider in decision making

• Next steps


Timeline

www.metrosouthstudy.org

Study Begins

Document Existing Conditions

Purpose and Need

Preliminary Definition of Alternatives

Detailed Definition of Alternatives

Alternatives Evaluation

Selection of Locally Preferred Alternative

Submit Federal New Starts Criteria Analysis

Draft Environmental Impact Statement

Winter 2002

Winter 2003

Summer 2003

Fall 2003

Winter 2003/2004

Summer 2004

Fall 2004

Fall 2004

Winter 2004/Spring 2005

We are

here

Submit Federal Funding Application to Enter Preliminary Engineering

Fall 2005


Purpose and Need Statements

1. Improve Access to Opportunity– Improve access for travel within the study

area and to other areas within the region, principally mid-County

2. Foster Economic Development– Use new transportation infrastructure to

help catalyze new development or redevelopment

3. Preserve Communities and Neighborhoods– Use new transportation infrastructure to

maintain and enhance quality of life

(Developed through analysis of existing conditions and stakeholder interviews)


Final Detailed Alternatives

Detailed Alternatives

Five Build Alternatives• Purple to Watson• Blue to Watson• Blue to Butler Hill• Orange to Reavis

Barracks• Orange to Butler Hill

No Build

TSM (Transportation System Management)


Overall Community Engagement

From February 2003 to August 2004

• Public Meetings

• Outreach Meetings

• MetroLink Fieldtrips

• Hotline calls, e-mails, correspondence

• Newsletters, fact sheets

• Mail/e-mail lists


Overall Community Input

• Blue Alternative

– Mixed response

– Positive from various civic organizations

– Negative from some residents and various municipal officials

• Orange Alternative

– Mixed response

– Favored by civic and church groups

– Opposed by some city residents and representatives

• Purple Alternative

– Little comment

– Favored by City of Shrewsbury


Synthesis of Pros/Cons of Build Alternatives

For each of the alternatives:

• Overall ability to meet P&N

• Performance and Costs

• Advantages/Disadvantages


Synthesis of Pros/Cons of Blue to Butler Hill

Pros

• Best ridership

• Modest access for transit-dependent population

• Greatest overall economic development impact

• Potential for substantial property value benefits

• Highest average speed

• Greatest travel time savings

Cons

• Requires acquisition of most residential and commercial right-of-way

• Displaces greatest number of businesses

• Greatest visual impacts

• Highest capital costs

• Presence of BNSF


Synthesis of Pros/Cons of Orange to Butler Hill

Pros

• Second highest ridership

• Attractive to commuters and transit-dependent population

• Provides access to greatest number of households

• Greatest potential for property value benefits

• Visual impacts are kept to a minimum

• High average speed

• Significant travel time savings

• High degree of connectivity to potential Southside alignment

Cons

• Limited economic development

• Requires most amount of parkland

• Second in capital costs, greatest O&M costs


Synthesis of Pros/Cons of Orange to Reavis Barracks

Pros

• Attractive to transit-dependent population

• Provides access to more households than Blue to Butler Hill

• Displaces fewest businesses

• Visual impacts kept to a minimum


• Overall construction costs about half of longer alternatives

• Best cost per mile

• O&M costs less than longer alternatives

Cons

• Attracts fewer commuters and lower overall ridership than longer alternatives

• Potential for economic development less than longer alternatives

• Less potential for property value benefits than longer alternatives

• Somewhat less travel time savings than longer alternatives


Synthesis of Pros/Cons of Blue to Watson

Pros

• Few residential displacements

• Modest business displacement

• Overall visual impacts low, though significant impact to Villas at Kenrick Plaza


• Lowest capital costs

Cons

• Very little ridership

• Serves very few transit-dependent people

• Limited economic development (Kenrick Plaza)

• Property values benefits 1/3 to 1/5 of the longer alternatives

• Negative travel time savings

• Cost per mile comparable to Blue to Butler Hill alternative

• O&M relatively expensive


Synthesis of Pros/Cons of Purple

Pros

• Few residential displacements

• Modest business displacement

• Overall visual impacts low


• Low capital costs

Cons

• Very little ridership

• Serves very few transit-dependent people

• Limited economic development (Kenrick Plaza)

• Property values benefits 1/3 to 1/5 of the longer alternatives

• Requires a small amount of parkland

• Negative travel time savings

• Cost per mile comparable to Blue to Butler Hill alternative

• O&M relatively expensive

• Highest cost per passenger mile


External Factorsto Consider

• BNSF right-of-way

• Systems planning & other potential MetroLink corridors

• Lack of local funding– Capital– Metro’s financial condition (operations)

• Limitations on federal funding


What’s Next

• Continuing outreach

• Staff recommendation to EWG Board of Directors on October 27 to defer LPA decision

• Completion of DEIS and public hearing in early 2005

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