The corridor began life in the 19th century as a heavy rail line used by the Rock Island and Wabash railroads along with local streetcars.

In 2017, the city of St. Louis and BJC Healthcare opened a reconstructed at-grade intersection between Forest Park Avenue and Kingshighway Boulevard.

The Forest Park-DeBaliviere station was built at the former Forsyth Junction, where the Rock Island and Wabash railroads once met.

In June 1999, the East-West Gateway Council of Governments released conceptual designs for the Cross County MetroLink extension including at-grade, below-grade and elevated portions.

After considering feedback from local residents, Metro opted to move this segment into cuts and subway tunnels along the former streetcar right-of-way and place the Skinker and University City-Big Bend stations underground.