ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - MetroLink will be getting some new light rail vehicles.
Bi-State Development Board of Commissioners approved a $390 million contract with Siemens Mobility for new high-floor light rail vehicles on Wednesday.
About 24 of them will be put into service in phases over the next few years, with up to 55 total on the way.
Bi-State Development Board of Commissioners will also provide support, project management, diagnostic equipment and tools.
The new MetroLink vehicles are being funded, in part, by $196 million in federal funding awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The existing fleet has lasted far longer than anticipated, according to Bistate president and CEO Taulby Roach.
“Our existing fleet has lasted far longer than anticipated, a testament to the exceptional work performed by our MetroLink maintenance team over the last 30 years,” said Roach in a press release. “We will continue to be good stewards of the public funds we receive and take great care of our new MetroLink fleet, so they can help the St. Louis region thrive for years to come.”
Out of the 75 vehicles currently in use, at least 15 have topped the 2 million mile mark and 20 of them are more than three decades old.