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County DOT and Bi-State outline Riverview Corridor study and Dec. 1 service improvements as zoo planning advances
Summary
Saint Louis County DOT and Bi-State staff said the Riverview Corridor 'Great Streets' and Spanish Lake small-area studies are beginning to guide access for the planned WildCare Park/zoo; staff also reviewed Dec. 1 service improvements and ridership and on‑time performance trends.
County and Bi-State officials discussed planning and near-term service changes tied to the planned WildCare Park and ongoing corridor studies.
Adam Spector of the Saint Louis County Department of Transportation said the Riverview Corridor 'Great Streets' study is kicking off and is expected to take about nine months; the county is reviewing site and traffic studies submitted by the zoo and is coordinating with a Spanish Lake small-area land-use study.
Commissioners expressed concern about access when the park opens (discussed as 2027 during the meeting). County staff said the traffic study indicates Riverview has capacity but highlighted flood-access and bridge-condition constraints; they said corridor investments should be designed to serve the zoo and additional nearby development and that grant leveraging will be essential.
Ron Forrest and Bi-State staff reviewed recent and upcoming service work: the December 1 service change improved 38 routes (31 in Missouri and 7 in Illinois) to add buffer time between connections and improve travel times; Mid America Airport Station preparations are underway for 2026. Forrest also reported rising ridership (about 6% year‑over‑year), a 35% rise in Call‑A‑Ride usage and a ~19% increase in Via micro-transit; however, on‑time performance dropped to approximately 85% from a 92% target, and staff outlined hiring, routing‑software optimization and stationing changes to restore punctuality.
Forrest described maintenance and workforce steps: a new in-house apprenticeship curriculum for vehicle maintenance is being developed for Department of Labor approval, and hiring strategies include onboarding more part-time operators to improve retention.
Next steps: County DOT and Bi-State will hold public meetings tied to the corridor study, Bi-State will continue monitoring ridership and OTP and report operational metrics and project updates in future commission meetings.
