Madison County Transit

stlgasm · PostMar 04, 2012#12012-03-04T23:37+00:00

Really encouraging news-- Madison County Transit ridership is up 21% this year, and MCT is responding by increasing express service to and from Downtown St. Louis. This is great news for all of St. Louis.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/illinois/madison-county-transit-shows-strong-ridership-gains/article_3c814f4e-9000-56ae-970a-b6e4fa1d90f3.html

Alex Ihnen · PostMar 05, 2012#22012-03-05T02:35+00:00

Agreed! Excellent news.

Kevin B · PostMar 05, 2012#32012-03-05T20:11+00:00

MCT is a quality system with friendly personnel. When I was looking for a new apartment in Edwardsville, public transportation was not only important, but necessary, for me. I ended up getting a place about two blocks away from the downtown MCT station.

And every morning the 16X was filled up with people heading downtown. All told, I had about a three block walk from my apt. door to my downtown St. Louis office building each day (for an insignificant $80 monthly MCT card). And if I went in a little later, it was easy as catching the 16 local to Collinsville, then the 18 down to 5th/Missouri or Emerson park, then on to the Metrolink.

I really, really want a Metrolink expansion (or local heavy-rail!) to Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Alton, but honestly, the MCT system is more than adequate right now...especially with the added service.

rawest1 · PostMar 06, 2012#42012-03-06T16:02+00:00

I would expect ridership to increase on all fronts across the nation as long as gas prices continue to rise.

Alex Ihnen · PostMar 06, 2012#52012-03-06T21:33+00:00

^ Then Republicans blame Democrats for high gas prices, get elected and cut transit funding! Just sayin'.

sc4mayor · PostDec 19, 2022#62022-12-19T15:47+00:00

Maybe this could be renamed to Madison County Transit?

Madison County Transit to add $34M in bridges, bike trails and tunnels
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/ill ... the-latest

The agency also plans $11 million in upgrades for its bus system, including a $4.2 million transfer station near Pontoon Beach in the growing warehouse corridor along Highway 111. Morrison said many employees depend on bus service to get to their jobs.

Among the many new trail projects are a shared-use path in downtown Alton; extensions of existing trails to Roxana, Wood River, Bethalto and South Roxana; and an extension of the agency’s Schoolhouse Trail into Madison. Bridges include a span over Highway 40 to connect Troy to the agency’s trail system; one over Highway 111 in Pontoon Beach for the Schoolhouse Trail and one for the same trail in Maryville at Pleasant Ridge Road. A new tunnel will take the Schoolhouse Trail under Highway 157 in Collinsville.

RockChalkSTL · PostJun 23, 2023#72023-06-23T20:29+00:00

Is the idea of merging Madison County Transit into Metro really that unappetizing for people in Madison County?

When was the last time this possibility was seriously broached?

addxb2 · PostJun 23, 2023#82023-06-23T20:38+00:00

^ don’t ruin MCT by connecting it with Bi-State. I’m kidding but some days I’m closer to thinking Bi-State needs to be dissolved entirely of transit.

RockChalkSTL · PostJun 23, 2023#92023-06-23T20:44+00:00

I am definitely not there with you.

Bi-State needs some work, but it also needs more regional buy-in.

It'd be huge if Metro could operate in St. Charles County, MO and Madison County, IL.

Perhaps down the line, if Jefferson County, MO begins to benefit in a big way from the freight-related industry coming that way, that'd be another county to include.

sc4mayor · PostJun 23, 2023#102023-06-23T21:07+00:00

RockChalkSTL wrote: ↑
Jun 23, 2023
Is the idea of merging Madison County Transit into Metro really that unappetizing for people in Madison County?

When was the last time this possibility was seriously broached?

I don’t know that it’s unappetizing (light rail service probably is) but why does it need to be broached? MCT does a decent enough job connecting Madison County via bus to St. Louis and St. Clair County train stations. They also maintain a pretty nice trail system that’s undergoing an expansion.

Technically MetroLink and MetroBus service in St. Clair County is funded and was built by the St. Clair County Transit District. They’re the same ones executing the BLV extension. Bi-State is essentially their operating partner.

Say hypothetically the Madison County Transit District wanted to move forward on an LRT expansion, they could fund it, design it, and build it and then partner with Bi-State to operate it, though that would require Madison County to officially join the compact. But that’s not coming anytime soon, so no reason to mess up a good thing right now.

I left a comment here awhile back about MCT just doing their own LRT, it could use existing infrastructure into Missouri and then they could own and operate it how they please in Madison Co. It’s not uncommon for different agencies to provide cross state service in other cities.

RockChalkSTL · PostJun 23, 2023#112023-06-23T21:24+00:00

Good post.

I ultimately am just curious about the transit future of Madison County. You did a good job of explaining what that could look like.

It would be interesting to see Madison County create their very own LRT line, no matter how unlikely that might be.

I suppose St. Charles County could eventually do the same in an effort to bridge Riverpointe and Streets of St. Charles with Ameristar, historic Main Street, Frenchtown, etc. They wouldn't even have to deal with unsavory St. Louis County or St. Louis city in the process. However, without even a bus system in place currently, that possibility seems even less likely for St. Charles County than it does for Madison County.

sc4mayor · PostJun 23, 2023#122023-06-23T21:37+00:00

All of these counties are part of Bi-State already, they just don’t provide funding, hence Bi-State doesn’t provide service.

This compact created an organization that has broad powers in seven county-level jurisdictions (St. Louis City, St. Louis, St. Charles and Jefferson Counties in Missouri and St. Clair, Madison and Monroe Counties in Illinois), giving Bi-State Development the ability to plan, construct, maintain, own and operate bridges, tunnels, airports and terminal facilities, plan and establish policies for sewage and drainage facilities and other public projects, and issue bonds and exercise such additional powers as conferred upon it by the legislatures of both states.

RockChalkSTL · PostJun 23, 2023#132023-06-23T21:52+00:00

I hadn't even considered Monroe County. Columbia and Waterloo are neat little communities, but I'd think they have very little appetite for bus service.

It's good to know that St. Louis could have serious expansion possibilities for MetroLink and bus service if/when these counties decide to get on board.

I'm not sure what would push the needle in those communities. Reduced crime, more than likely. A lot of development in downtown St. Louis, perhaps?

In the case of Madison County, it may see major renovations in the downtown Alton area, and perhaps even the development of an entertainment district near World Wide Technology Raceway. Madison city may also stand to gain a ton from freight changes coming to the region. Still, more dots are probably needed for there to be a desire within Madison County to connect them.

eee123 · PostJun 23, 2023#142023-06-23T22:32+00:00

Monroe County had Metro Bus service, Waterloo-Columbia to the East St. Louis MetroLink station.

I think it was just a rush hour only deal, and it seems to have been killed off during COVID times.

As for Madison County, a start would be allowing you to ride the express bus in the opposite direction. They have an express bus between downtown and Edwardsville, but you can't ride it to Edwardsville in the morning. It only serves the traditional suburbs-to-city commuters.