Critics Refute MetroLink Green Line Claims to Bolster STL Economy
Date Posted: July 30, 2024
Posted In: Discussion, News,
From First Alert 4: The St. Louis region’s transit advocacy organization Citizens for Modern Transit showed a study of the projected economic growth of the St. Louis MetroLink Green Line.
Officials say that construction will have an overall economic impact of $2.9 billion and an additional $58.5 million in statewide economic activity will be generated within the first five years of operation.
Over the seven-year mark, the Green Line looks to generate an annual average of nearly $413.6 million in economic activity in the Missouri economy, and an annual average of more than $121.6 million in additional household earnings for Missourians.
“If you spend a billion dollars on a project, you’ll get a billion dollars of economic impact and perhaps even some more,” said David Stokes, municipal director for Missouri think tank, Show-Me Institute. “But the claims as to the jobs and the total overall economic impact I think are as usual exaggerated and won’t be as nearly as large as the claim.”
Show-Me Institute published a study last year on why the MetroLink is unnecessary. Stokes said Metro Transit should implement a new bus line instead.
“A billion dollars sounds like a lot of money, but remember this–that 60% of that investment comes from the federal government,” said Bi-State Development, the company that oversees Metro Transit, CEO and president Taulby Roach. ”So, why wouldn’t we want to get that money and invest it in our community.”