PONTOON BEACH – Madison County Transit (MCT) officials marked the opening of a new MCT administration building with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 23, 2024.
Located at the MCT Base of Operations at 1 Transit Way in Pontoon Beach, the new building will house MCT’s administration, human resources, marketing & communications, accounting, engineering and more. MCT Director S.J. Morrison, Governor J.B. Pritzker, Secretary of Transportation Omer Osman, and MCT Board Chairman Ron Jedda spoke about the benefits of the new building and how it will impact MCT and Illinois transportation infrastructure.
“Meeting the transportation needs of our residents is Madison County’s top priority, and we are proud of the services we provide. It’s our core mission,” Morrison said. “We believe that transit can also be a catalyst for helping to address challenges that face our residents, our employers, our communities on a daily basis…Today is about dedicating a building and securing our campus. But it’s also about building a stronger region and securing the future for our residents regardless of their income or abilities.”
According to Morrison, MCT has been “dreaming” of a facility like this for the past 20 years. A Rebuild Illinois capital grant from the state of Illinois made it possible for them to build the facility, with construction starting about 20 months ago. The project cost a little less than $14,700,000 total, and 99% of this was funded by state and federal grants.
Pritzker noted that Illinois ranks second in the nation for infrastructure, according to CNBC and U.S. News and World Report. He said this brings more families and businesses to the area, which benefits Illinois.
“Thanks to Rebuild Illinois, our state’s $45 billion capital plan, and to the MCT leadership, transit for the Metro East is growing and it’s thriving,” Pritzker added.
Pritzker also said he was “disappointed” to learn that the Madison County Board voted to put an advisory referendum on the ballot that asks voters if the county should consider separating from Cook County.
Osman commended the “tremendous teamwork” between federal, state and local partners to build the new MCT facility. He said that some form of transit is available in 96 of 102 Illinois counties.
“It shows just how big of a role they play in the day-to-day activity of our communities,” he said. “This morning, I was continually reminded why Illinois is a transportation hub of North America…We have improved a crucial piece of a vibrant multimodal system that connects people with where they need to go in Madison County.”
Jedda also spoke about the benefits of the new facility. He thanked the MCT and Agency for Community Transit board members, the elected officials, Madison County Board members and many others for their contributions.
For more information about Madison County Transit, visit MCT.org.
