St. Clair County Transit District Celebrates Grand Opening of Its Liberty Heights Trail in Fairview Heights

Representatives of St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD) today joined with local officials, stakeholders and residents to celebrate the grand opening of the $1.2 million Liberty Heights Trail in Fairview Heights, Ill. The new 0.75-mile paved bike and pedestrian pathway passes between Union Hill and St. Clair Roads. It is the first completed trail in a seven-phase project to extend the MetroBikeLink System 4.8 miles from Hwy 161 in Belleville through Swansea to The Rec Complex in Fairview Heights.

The Liberty Heights Trail is a scenic corridor with flowering trees and abundant wildlife. It pays tribute to the region’s historic transportation network by following tracks once traveled by passengers of the St. Louis, O’Fallon and Lebanon Electric Railway (SLO&L), which was established in 1901 and later became known as the Great East Side Electric Railway System. The new trail was constructed on the Caseyville Township right-of-way and includes a spacious, illuminated box culvert beneath Liberty Road, ensuring safe and accessible passage for all users. The pathway features a bench, landscaping, wayfinding and safety enhancements, including five cameras. Two of the cameras are funded by the SCCTD and strategically placed along the trail. The remaining three, located within the box culvert, are funded by the City of Fairview Heights and are directly linked to the Fairview Heights Police Department.

Construction on the trail commenced in July 2025. It was completed by Stutz Excavating, TWM, Inc., and members of the Southwestern Illinois Building and Trades Council. The project was made possible thanks to a $300,000 grant from the Metro East Park and Recreation District and local sales tax funding.

During the grand opening ceremony, those in attendance heard remarks from St. Clair County Chairman Mark Kern, Fairview Heights Mayor Mark Kupsky, Caseyville Township Supervisor James Krummrich and SCCTD’s Managing Director Ken Sharkey about how continued investment in the MetroBikeLink system is positively impacting the communities in St. Clair County.

“We salute the St. Clair County Transit District and everyone else who partnered to make this trail come to life,” commented St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern. “The Liberty Heights Trail will serve as a key connector in the larger scale project designed to further extend the St. Clair County Transit District’s ever-evolving system of trails.”

The seven-phase project includes the SCCTD’s new Liberty Heights Trail and its five future trails in various stages of development, including Bunkum Road Trail Phase 1, Bunkum Road Trail Phase 2, Fairview Heights Swansea Trail Phase 2, Fairview Heights Trail Phase 3 – as well as the Safe Routes to School Trail being constructed by the City of Fairview Heights.

“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 Swansea 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 and 3.5-mile Old Collinsville Road 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 Southwestern Illinois.