Public Transportation in St. Louis NEEDS YOU!

Caption: Public transit is a critical piece of regional walkability and bikeability

"People are surprised to hear that transit is a priority for Chesterfield, but we have 26,000 jobs. Many depend on public transportation. Transit attracts jobs and investment. It's also good for the region — and what's good for the region is good for Chesterfield."

-John Nations, Mayor of Chesterfield, MO as quoted in the Post-Dispatch

Just over a year ago, St. Louis County voters narrowly defeated a ballot measure, Proposition M, that would have created a half-cent sales tax (nearly $80 million per year) to support public transit operations and maintenance. The ballot measure was necessary to keep MetroBus and MetroLink services running. As a result, when the measure was defeated, Metro was forced to significantly reduce service throughout its service area, including canceling bus routes and decreasing the frequency of buses and MetroLink. The St. Louis cutbacks were so significant that they made national headlines.

Thanks to bi-partisan support in Jefferson City, the MO legislature allocated $12 million of stimulus funds to temporarily restore some of the transit service that had been cut. However, that emergency allocation was just a short-term solution. In order to sustain Metro's operations in our region, St. Louis County voters need to approve a dedicated sales tax to ensure that MetroBus and MetroLink continue to be strong components of our regional multi-modal transportation system. St. Louis City voters approved a public transit tax in 1997, but it was contingent on the passage of a County tax. Since the County hasn't passed a tax, the City tax hasn't gone into effect.

For 22 years, Trailnet has been promoting biking and walking as important modes of transportation. In a large metro area, like St. Louis, you can't talk about walking and biking without talking about public transportation. Metro's bus and light rail services are the foundation that regional walkability and bikeability are built on.

Trailnet is proud to be a coalition member of The Greater St. Louis Transit Alliance. The Alliance is currently working to once again put Proposition M on the ballot for April, 2010, and we need your help! Come out Dec. 15 to the St. Louis County Council Meeting to support putting the initiative on the ballot on April 6. The meeting is held at 6pm at:

County Administration Building
41 S. Central Ave
Clayton, MO 63105

To learn more about the state and fate of St. Louis public transit, visit the Greater St. Louis Transit Alliance's website or the Post-Dispatch's editorial from last week.