Welcome, Guest! | Sign Up or Log In

Connect Transit to study ridership trends in determining shelter sites

Connect Transit has 15 shelters installed at Bloomington-Normal bus stops. (Photo by Eric Stock/WJBC)
Connect Transit has 15 shelters installed at Bloomington-Normal bus stops. (Photo by Eric Stock/WJBC)

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 eric.stock@cumulus.com.

Sweet Deals - Get LIMITED-TIME deals on dining, local attractions and entertainment.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…