As the Redbirds prepare to return to Busch Stadium on Thursday, thousands of baseball fans will flock to the streets of downtown St. Louis to celebrate the highly anticipated home opener. Although there will be lots of food, fun and entertainment for families and fans both inside and outside the stadium throughout the day, the festivities aren’t such a party for the environment.
Fortunately, there are plenty of resources available to help members of the St. Louis community take voluntary steps that can improve the quality of the air we breathe, starting by taking advantage of the alternative transportation modes the city offers for game day travel. Here are just a few of the many ways that people in the St. Louis region can reduce emissions to help keep the air quality in healthy ranges this baseball season:
- Metro Transit – MetroBus and MetroLink are always great options for getting downtown on game day. Catch the #40 North Broadway or #99 Downtown Trolley routes, which both have stops near Busch Stadium, or ride on any one of 19 MetroBus routes to the Civic Center Transit Center, which is located a few blocks west of Busch Stadium. Otherwise, leave your car at any one of 21 free Park-Ride lots located at MetroLink stations in Missouri and Illinois, purchase a $5 round-trip MetroLink ticket and ride to the Stadium MetroLink Station to get to Busch Stadium, Ballpark Village and Kiener Plaza. You can also take MetroLink to one of the other five downtown MetroLink stations to enjoy pre-game rallies and activities while cutting down on harmful auto emissions.
- Redbird Express – Fans in St. Clair County, Ill., can also take advantage of the Redbird Express, a popular special bus service provided by SCCTD that served more than 100,000 passengers in 2018 and is ready for another year of record-setting attendance! The Redbird Express takes the stress out of game day traffic, bridge construction, parking, gas expenses and more by allowing game-goers to sit back and enjoy the ride to and from the game. Busses depart from St. Clair Square near the water tower 2.5 hours before game time with the last bus leaving one hour before the game begins, dropping off and picking up fans just steps away from the stadium’s gates. Fares are $5.00 per adult and $2.00 for children ages 2 thru 12.
- Ridesharing – Ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft match drivers of private vehicles to those seeking transportation and are a great option to eliminate the use of multiple vehicles. With transportation-related emissions being one of the biggest contributors to air pollution, you can do your share for cleaner air by opting for a ridesharing service to get you to the ballpark to cut down on the number of vehicles on the road, which ultimately leads to fewer automobile emissions, reduced traffic congestion and improved air quality. You’ll also avoid having to pay to park!
For more great tips on how to enjoy a greener game day experience and achieve cleaner air all year long, visit https://cleanair-stlouis.com/air-quality-tips/, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @gatewaycleanair. GO CARDS!
