St. Clair County Transit District Board Approves Contract for Design of 1.4 Mile Trail in Swansea

The St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD) Board of Trustees approved a $222,955 contract with TWM to design the 1.4-mile trail Frank Scott Parkway West Shared-use Trail in Swansea. This trail will connect into the SCCTD MetroBikeLink system at the Memorial MetroLink Station.

Scope of services will include conceptual design, drainage and hydraulics, prefinal plans, final plans and land acquisition documentation.  The design phase is estimated to take 22 months.

“The MetroBikeLink System is an unmatched community amenity that allows users to integrate biking, walking and public transportation use to get where they need to go,” commented Ken Sharkey, managing director of the St. Clair County Transit District, which established and maintains the MetroBikeLink System. “It also provides meaningful recreational opportunities that promote mental and physical well-being.”

The first section of the MetroBikeLink System opened in 2002 and was comprised of a four-mile trail, extending from Southwestern Illinois College to the Belleville Transit Center. Since then, this section has expanded into what is known today as the 14-mile MetroBikeLink Trail, which serves as the main artery of the MetroBikeLink System. The trail runs adjacent to the MetroLink alignment, connecting the Shiloh-Scott Transit Center to the Fairview Heights Transit Center. It links residents to six Metro Transit Centers across four different communities, offering seamless integration between biking and transit options — including MetroLink, MetroBus and microtransit services  like the SCCTD Flyer. Over the years, additional trails have been built by SCCTD, including the 4.7-mile SCCTD Orchard Loop Trail, 1.3-mile Engelmann Park Connector, 1-mile St. Ellen Park Trail, 3.5-mile Old Collinsville Road Trail and .75 Liberty Heights Trail. Several other trails are currently under design or construction, including the 5.2-mile SCCTD MetroBikeLink Trail from the Shiloh-Scott Transit Center to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. These pathways – along with the connecting trails from other municipalities – combine to provide over 40 miles of connected trails throughout St. Clair County.