By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – Connect Transit plans to add up to 75 shelters at its bus stops in Bloomington-Normal over the next three years – including 25 of them this year -but it remains to be seen which stops might get them first.

Planner for Connect Transit Kyle Boehm said it will depend on which routes are the busiest as the new schedule takes hold.

“Based on a lot of the restructuring what we anticipated is that our high-ridership areas before the restructuring will maintain their high-ridership areas, but we want to double check to see that the patterns are being consistent, and that way we can make the best investment with the infrastructure,” Boehm said.

The transit agency rolled out a new schedule in mid-August and offer free rides for two weeks in hoping of getting people in the habit of taking the bus.

The new shelters, along with installation of concrete pads, will cost about $1 million. Part of that comes from a sales tax increases approved in the Twin Cities earlier this year.

Spokeswoman Melissa Chrisman said Connect Transit currently has around 15 shelters installed at stops in Bloomington and Normal.

“Being able to stay out of the elements, having a place to sit, all of those things go into improving that customer experience, so we are excited to be able to provide that to our riders,” Chrisman said.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].