Mobile Farmers Market Rolls Into the Rock Road Transit Center By Matthew Hibbard

Metro riders will have another convenient and affordable option to purchase fresh fruit, vegetables and other grocery items during their commutes starting this afternoon.

Metro Transit and the Bi-State Development Research Institute have partnered with St. Louis MetroMarket to bring the mobile farmers market to the Rock Road Transit Center. During this ten-week program, the St. Louis MetroMarket will be open for business at the Rock Road Transit Center from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. every Thursday from today until August 9.

St. Louis MetroMarket launched in 2015 to help restore access to healthy, affordable food in areas of the St. Louis region identified as food deserts, where residents do not have easy access to fresh, healthy food options. The program was created from retired MetroBus donated by Bi-State Development.

“There are areas of our region, particularly in North St. Louis County, where residents have a difficult time trying to reach grocery stores or other resources where they can get fresh produce and nutritious food for their families,” said John Wagner, Director of the Bi-State Development Research Institute. “This new partnership with St. Louis MetroMarket, in combination with the Link Markets operating at the North Hanley and Wellston Transit Centers, are helping the region address issues like food insecurity by providing easy and affordable options to access fresh, healthy food for the thousands of people who use or live near the Metro transit system.”

Last year, the Link Market food kiosk program was launched as a partnership between Metro Transit, the Bi-State Development Research Institute and the Missouri Foundation for Health, which is funding the program through a grant.

The Link Market offers affordably priced produce and other healthy household staples to transit riders and residents living near the North Hanley and Wellston Transit Centers. The Link Market fresh food kiosks are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.