BELLEVILLE – The St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD) today announced it has been awarded $3,000,000 in funding through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) for the development of Phase 2 of its Bunkum Road Trail. This 0.8-mile trail segment is part of a series of trails that will combine to create a new 4.8-mile bike path corridor extending from the intersection of Highway 161 and Sullivan Drive in Belleville to The REC Complex of Fairview Heights on Bunkum Road in Fairview Heights. This is all part of the MetroBikeLink System, which currently consists of more than 39 miles of interconnecting trails and bike paths in St. Clair County that connect to six Metro Transit Centers. The project will enhance local transportation and boost quality of life for all community residents.
Phase 2 of the Bunkum Road Trail will be a 10-foot-wide bike path running from Emma Lane to Lea Drive. It will include a large pedestrian bridge over I-64 and connect directly to The REC Complex of Fairview Heights.
The developing bike path corridor also includes Phase 1 of the Bunkum Road Trail, the Liberty Heights Trail and the three-phase Fairview Heights – Swansea Trail. Each of these trails are in varying stages of development by St. Clair County Transit District. Once each is completed, it will connect thousands of Belleville, Swansea and Fairview Heights residents to each other and the ever-evolving MetroBikeLink System.
Phase 2 of the Bunkum Road Trail is one of 66 projects to receive funding statewide, with a total of $139.2 million awarded through the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). Made possible by federal and state funds administered by IDOT, ITEP awards are focused on improving bike and pedestrian travel, as well as making other surface transportation improvements that promote alternative options for getting around your community.
“The success of Phase 2 of the Bunkum Road Trail and the ever-evolving MetroBikeLink System is rooted in long-term partnerships and ongoing collaboration between local governments,” stated St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern. “A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to deliver each section of this treasured community amenity. Local leaders are to be commended. Thank you for going the distance to make St. Clair County a great place to live, work and explore.”
Fairview Heights Mayor Mark Kupsky added, “The REC Complex of Fairview Heights has become a central hub for fitness, recreation and community events. The ability to soon offer a direct connection to the MetroBikeLink System by way of the new Bunkum Road Trail is a huge win for the community, and we look forward to working with the St. Clair County Transit District to make this vision a reality.”
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 from the Shiloh-Scott Transit Center to the Fairview Heights Transit Center, linking residents to six Metro Transit Centers in four different communities and offering seamless integration of biking and transit use via the MetroLink, MetroBus and microtransit service options 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 Metro Transit Center to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. These pathways – along with the connecting trails from other municipalities – combine to provide over 39 miles of connected trails throughout St. Clair County.
“We are extremely thankful for the $3 million in grant funding from ITEP and excited to put these dollars to work in our community,” stated Ken Sharkey, managing director for St. Clair County Transit District, which established and maintains the MetroBikeLink System. “It will allow us to continue to expand our system of interconnecting trails, which has proven to be a highly valued community amenity that allows area residents to safely and seamlessly integrate walking, biking and transit usage to get wherever they need to go for work, leisure and exercise purposes.”
To learn more about SCCTD’s MetroBikeLink System, visit www.scctd.org/metrobikelink.
The St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD) was founded in 1981 and contracts with Bi-State Development to provide public transportation services in St. Clair County, Ill., by way of 11 MetroLink stations and 13 MetroBus routes and with Southwestern Illinois College to offer paratransit services as well as on-demand, micro transit via the SCCTD Flyer in seven communities. The District has also established and maintains the ever-evolving MetroBikeLink System of interconnecting trails and bike paths that seamlessly connect to six Metro Transit Centers – linking individuals to jobs, education, healthcare, entertainment, trails and other destinations throughout the bi-state region. To learn more, visit www.SCCTD.org or follow the District on Facebook, X, Instagram or LinkedIn.
