Madison County Transit
Encyclopedia
Madison County Transit, or MCT for short, is a bus
and bike trail
transportation system that serves the citizens of Madison County
, which is located in Illinois
approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) northeast of St. Louis. It was created in 1980 by the Madison County Board to improve transportation in Madison County, and is a completely separate transit system from the St. Louis Metro Transit system which includes MetroLink
, which doesn't operate into Madison County, though the buses connect with many MetroBus
routes and even serve MetroLink stations in East St. Louis
, Belleville
and Downtown St. Louis
.
service, as well as a paratransit
bus service known as ACT (Agency for Community Transit) or Runabout.
In 2008, MCT gave out Summer Break Youth Bus Passes to over 22,000 students ages 12–18. Illinois Public Act 95-0708 became effective in February 2008, allowing all elderly/disabled people to ride bus service for free. All buses are equipped with bike rack
s, wheelchair lift
s, and handicapped
seats. Buses are also able to lower to the ground giving easier access to elderly/disabled people.
possibilities and interim
trail use. In addition to the bus service, MCT owns and maintains over 85 miles (136.8 km) of bike trails throughout Madison County. Madison County Transit is the only transit system in the country with an integrated bus and bikeway system.
about the future Mass Transit in Greater St. Louis. There are talks to create bus rapid transit
and light rail
routes to Granite City and Edwardsville. However, in 1997, voters in Madison County rejected a ½ cent sales tax which would have made Madison County next on the list of planned St. Louis MetroLink
lines after the 3rd phase of the MetroLink's St. Clair County Extension was complete. This phase would extend the line 5.3 miles east from its current terminus at the Shiloh-Scott Station to MidAmerica Airport. Originally, this was part of the second phase's plan, but its own phase was later created due to low ridership projections, due to the fact that no passenger airlines currently serve Mid-America.
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
and bike trail
Segregated cycle facilities
Segregated cycle facilities are marked lanes, tracks, shoulders and paths designated for use by cyclists from which motorised traffic is generally excluded...
transportation system that serves the citizens of Madison County
Madison County, Illinois
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. Madison County is part of the Metro-East region of the St. Louis Metro Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 269,282, which is an increase of 4.0% from 258,941 in 2000. The county seat is Edwardsville, home to...
, which is located in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) northeast of St. Louis. It was created in 1980 by the Madison County Board to improve transportation in Madison County, and is a completely separate transit system from the St. Louis Metro Transit system which includes MetroLink
St. Louis Metrolink
MetroLink is the light rail transit system in the Greater St. Louis area of Missouri and the Metro East area of Illinois. The entire system currently consists of two lines connecting Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and Shrewsbury, MO with Scott Air Force Base near Shiloh, Illinois through...
, which doesn't operate into Madison County, though the buses connect with many MetroBus
MetroBus (St. Louis)
MetroBus is the public bus service for the Greater St. Louis Region connected with the MetroLink light rail system. It is managed by the Bi-State Development Agency and uses a shared fare system with the MetroLink rail.-Service:...
routes and even serve MetroLink stations in East St. Louis
East St. Louis, Illinois
East St. Louis is a city located in St. Clair County, Illinois, USA, directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri in the Metro-East region of Southern Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 27,006, less than one-third of its peak of 82,366 in 1950...
, Belleville
Belleville, Illinois
Belleville is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city has a population of 44,478. It is the eighth-most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area and the most populated city south of Springfield in the state of Illinois. It is the county...
and Downtown St. Louis
Downtown St. Louis
Downtown St. Louis is the central business district of St. Louis, Missouri, the hub of tourism and entertainment, and the anchor of the St. Louis metropolitan area. The downtown is bounded by Cole Street to the north, the river front to the east, Chouteau Avenue to the south, and Jefferson Avenue...
.
Services
Madison County Transit operates a fleet of 73 buses on 25 routes, carries 8000 riders daily, 40,000 riders weekly, and over 2 million riders annually. It includes an express bus service from towns across Madison County to downtown St. Louis, cross county bus service for long distance services within the county, and shuttle busPublic transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
service, as well as a paratransit
Paratransit
Paratransit is an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules. Typically mini-buses are used to provide paratransit service, but also share taxis and jitneys are important providers....
bus service known as ACT (Agency for Community Transit) or Runabout.
In 2008, MCT gave out Summer Break Youth Bus Passes to over 22,000 students ages 12–18. Illinois Public Act 95-0708 became effective in February 2008, allowing all elderly/disabled people to ride bus service for free. All buses are equipped with bike rack
Bicycle carrier
A bicycle carrier, also commonly called a bike rack, is a device attached to an automobile or bus for transporting bicycles.- By vehicle type :Bus mounted bike carriers are usually attached to the front of the bus...
s, wheelchair lift
Wheelchair lift
A wheelchair lift, also known as a platform lift, is a powered device designed to raise a wheelchair and its occupant in order to overcome a step or similar vertical barrier....
s, and handicapped
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
seats. Buses are also able to lower to the ground giving easier access to elderly/disabled people.
Shuttle Service
- 2 Granite City
- 6 Roxana-South Roxana
- 8 Central
- 9 Washington
- 10 State & Elm
- 11 Brown
- 12 Bethalo
- 14 Highland
- 15 Collinsville
- 16 Edwardsville-Glen Carbon
- 17 Edwardsville-SIU
Cross County Service
- 1 Riverbend
- 4 Madison-Edwardsville
- 7 Alton-Edwardsville
- 13 Troy-Glen Carbon
- 14 Highland-Edwardsville
- 19 Edwardsville-Collinsville
Express Service
- 1X Riverbend Express
- 3X Gateway Commerce Center Express
- 12X Bethalo Express
- 14X Highland-St. Louis Express
- 16X Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Express
- 18X Collinsville Express
Bike trails
The MCT Trails System was born in the early 1990s, to preserve rail corridors for future light railLight rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
possibilities and interim
Interim
Interim is an album by British rock band The Fall, compiled from live and studio material and released in 2004. It features the first officially released versions of "Clasp Hands", "Blindness" and "What About Us?" — all of which were later included on the band's next studio album Fall Heads Roll —...
trail use. In addition to the bus service, MCT owns and maintains over 85 miles (136.8 km) of bike trails throughout Madison County. Madison County Transit is the only transit system in the country with an integrated bus and bikeway system.
Trail list
- MCT Bluff Trail = 2 miles (3.2 km)
- MCT Confluence Trail = 18.6 miles (29.9 km)
- MCT Deltye W. Morris Trail = 2.5 miles (4 km)
- MCT Goshen Trail = 7 miles (11.3 km)
- MCT Heritage Bike Trail = 12.8 miles (20.6 km)
- MCT Nature Trail = 12.7 miles (20.4 km)
- MCT Nickel Plate Trail = 13.7 miles (22 km)
- MCT Quercus Grove Trail = 5.8 miles (9.3 km)
- MCT Schoolhouse Trail = 15.9 miles (25.6 km)
- MCT Watershed Trail = 4.7 miles (7.6 km)
Bus stations
Madison County Transit has five bus stations where each branch of service converge.- Alton Station
- Collinsville Station
- Edwardsville Station
- Granite City Station
- Wood River Station
Light rail
They are working together with the Bi-State Development AgencyBi-State Development Agency
The Bi-State Development Agency is an interstate compact formed by Missouri and Illinois in 1949. Since February 2003 the agency has been doing business as Metro. It operates with a budget of $160 million, which is funded by sales taxes from the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County, the St...
about the future Mass Transit in Greater St. Louis. There are talks to create bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
and light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
routes to Granite City and Edwardsville. However, in 1997, voters in Madison County rejected a ½ cent sales tax which would have made Madison County next on the list of planned St. Louis MetroLink
St. Louis Metrolink
MetroLink is the light rail transit system in the Greater St. Louis area of Missouri and the Metro East area of Illinois. The entire system currently consists of two lines connecting Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and Shrewsbury, MO with Scott Air Force Base near Shiloh, Illinois through...
lines after the 3rd phase of the MetroLink's St. Clair County Extension was complete. This phase would extend the line 5.3 miles east from its current terminus at the Shiloh-Scott Station to MidAmerica Airport. Originally, this was part of the second phase's plan, but its own phase was later created due to low ridership projections, due to the fact that no passenger airlines currently serve Mid-America.