St. Clair County Transit District Increases MetroBus Service in December

Continuation of Transit Vision 2020 Implementation to Right Size Service in St. Clair County

The St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD) continues to look to the future with the rollout of recommended service updates in the SCCTD Transit Vision 2020 Plan, with improvements to MetroBus routes  #12, #14, #15, #16, and a new route #23 on December 2.

MetroBus 12: O’Fallon-Fairview Heights

Transit Vision 2020 called for increased frequency on MetroBus Route 12 serving O’Fallon and Fairview Heights.  As of Dec. 2, the route will be streamlined to reduce trip times and provide faster service for customers. The bus will provide 20-minute service on weekdays leaving Fairview Heights Transit Center to Highway 50 and Regency Park, with all trips serving St. Elizabeth Hospital.  However, the route will now leave Regency Park to continue on Highway 50 and Highway 158 – not providing service to Cambridge, 1st Street and Smiley – traveling to the Shiloh-Scott Transit Center every 40 minutes on weekdays.

Service Frequency:

Weekdays

  • 20-minute service from Fairview Heights TC to Highway 50 and Regency Park, including St. Elizabeth Hospital
  • 40-service from Highway 50 and Regency Park to Shiloh-Scott Transit Center

Weekends

  • 30-minute service from Fairview Heights TC to Highway 50 and Regency Park, including St. Elizabeth Hospital
  • 60-minute service from Highway 50 and Regency Park to Shiloh-Scott Transit Center

 

MetroBus Route 14: Memorial Hospital
This route will have a minor route change with no changes to the frequency. From Belleville Crossings to 74th Street, the MetroBus will operate in a one-way lop via IL 15.  This route will no longer serve Westfield Plaza.

MetroBus Route #15: Belleville-Shiloh-O’Fallon
MetroBus Route #15 will extend service to Green Mount Crossing Shopping Center as well as an increase in Saturday service (60-minute headways all day, 6 days a week). There will be a small service reduction at 2nd and Lincoln which will now be served by the updated MetroBus Route #12.

 

 

MetroBus Route 16: St. Clair Square

Transit Vision 2020 called for an increase in frequency on this route with improved weekend service.  The route will now operate between Belleville Transit Center, Swansea Transit Center, St. Clair Square and Madison County Transit (MCT) in Collinsville to provide better service to the most popular destinations as of Dec. 2. Service between Belleville and College Transit Centers will be provided by the new #23 Belleville-College route.

Service Frequency:

Weekdays

  • 20-minute service between Belleville Transit Center and St. Clair Square (daytime)
  • 30-minute service between Belleville Transit Center and St. Clair Square (evenings)
  • 40-minute service between Belleville Transit Center and MCT (daytime)

Weekends

  • 40-minute service between Belleville Transit Center and St. Clair Square (daytime)
  • 60-minute service between Belleville Transit Center and St. Clair Square (evenings)
  • 40-minute service between Belleville Transit Center and MCT (daytime)

MetroBus Route 23: Belleville-College

Transit Vision 2020 called for the inception of this new route to be separate from Route 16, which will better match the level of service to transit demand in different areas.  The new route will begin service on Dec. 2 and provide service between Belleville and College Transit Centers, covering areas previously served by the #16 St. Clair Square. The routing will differ slightly from how the #16 runs today, with new service along Sherman Street and Lebanon Road, and no longer serving Old Collinsville Road at Lebanon (which will instead be served by the #15 Belleville-Shiloh as of Dec. 2). Additionally, due to customer input during the Public Comment Period, all service along West Blvd. will remain in place, served by this new Route 23.

 

Service Frequency: 

Weekdays

  • 30-minute frequency (all-day)

Weekends

  • 60-minute frequency (all-day)

The SCCTD Transit Vision 2020 was a system-wide study released in early 2020 to optimize Illinois MetroBus service and rethink public mobility in St. Clair County.   The study addressed both short-term improvements and long-term mobility opportunities.  The goal of the study was to address declining ridership, changing demographics and shifting development patterns.  While implementation has been slower than anticipated due to the impacts of the pandemic, the District is committed to ensuring a right-sizing of service in St. Clair County. Changes to date have included increased frequency, new routes and introduction of microtransit in Southwestern Illinois.

“SCCTD is committed to connecting St. Clair County with high quality transit service.  It has been our goal since the release of Transit Vision 2020 and we will continue to work to increase frequency which we know is the cornerstone of improving access and building ridership,” said Ken Sharkey, managing director of SCCTD.