St. Clair County Transit District

MetroLink passing through the East Riverfront station

Overview
Locale| St. Clair County, Illinois
Transit type| Bus
Light rail
Paratransit
Shared-use paths
Number of lines| 14 bus routes
2 light rail lines
6 shared-use paths
Number of stations| 11 (light rail)
(1 under construction)
Chief executive| Ken Sharkey
Headquarters| 27 North Illinois Street
Belleville, Illinois, 62220
Website| scctd.org
Operation
Began operation| 1981
Operator(s)| Alternative Transportation System
Metro Transit

The St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD) is a transit district that serves fifteen townships in St. Clair County, Illinois, a suburban county southeast of St. Louis.[1] Operation of bus and light rail service is contracted to Metro Transit.[2][3] Other services include paratransit and a network of shared-use paths.[4][5]

## History

[edit]

The St. Clair County Transit District was created in 1981 under the authority of the Illinois Mass Transit District Act, it levies a quarter-cent sales tax which funds MetroBus and paratransit service in the member townships.[6]

Light rail first came to St. Clair County in 1993 with the opening of the 5th & Missouri MetroLink station in East St. Louis, the final station on the first 13.9-mile (22.4 km) line.[7] That same year, with the success of the initial MetroLink alignment, St. Clair County voters passed a half-cent sales tax increase by a 2-1 margin to fund an extension to Scott Air Force Base.[8] On May 14, 1994, the East Riverfront infill station opened within the eastern end of the Eads Bridge rail deck.[9][10]

In 2001, the district opened a 17.4-mile (28.0 km) MetroLink extension to Southwestern Illinois College. The project cost $339.2 million, with $243.9 million paid by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and $95.2 million paid by SCCTD.[11] Two years later a $75 million, 3.5-mile (5.6 km) extension brought service to Scott Air Force Base in Shiloh, Illinois. It was funded by a $60 million grant from the Illinois FIRST (Fund for Infrastructure, Roads, Schools, and Transit) Program and $15 million from SCCTD.[12][13]

In 2002, SCCTD opened the first 4-mile (6.4 km) section of the MetroBikeLink trail system. Today the network has over 39 miles (63 km) of connected trails in Southwestern Illinois.[14][15]

In 2019, Illinois provided the district $96 million in state funding to extend MetroLink from Shiloh-Scott to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah. SCCTD began construction on the extension in 2023; Metro expects to begin operations in spring 2026.[16][17][18]

## Services

[edit]

### MetroBus

[edit]

Main article: MetroBus (St. Louis)

SCCTD sponsors 14 MetroBus routes in St. Clair County:[19]

No.  | Name  | Notes

|
|

1 | Main Street-State Street  | Route operates primarily along State and Main streets between the 5th & Missouri and Belleville transit centers. Intermediate stops include the Fairview Heights Transit Center and downtown Belleville.
2 | Cahokia Heights  | Route operates between the 5th & Missouri Transit Center and Cahokia Heights. Generally follows Mississippi Avenue, Falling Springs Road, and Camp Jackson Road. Intermediate stops include the St. Louis Downtown Airport and Cahokia High School.
3 | Sauget-Water Street  | Route operates primarily along Mississippi Avenue and Water Street between the 5th & Missouri Transit Center and Prairie Du Pont. Intermediate stops include Sauget Business Park.
4 | 19th & Central  | Route operates from the 5th & Missouri Transit Center to 19th and Wilford. Generally follows Broadway, Bond Avenue, 19th Street, Wilford Avenue, and 17th Street.
5 | Missouri Avenue-ML King  | Route operates from the 5th & Missouri Transit Center and serves locations in central East St. Louis. Generally follows Missouri and St. Louis avenues.
6 | Rosemont  | Route operates between the Emerson Park and Fairview Heights transit centers. Intermediate stops include the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center and Washington Park MetroLink stations.
8 | Alta Sita  | Route operates between the Emerson Park Transit Center and Cahokia Village. Generally follows 25th Street, Bond Avenue, and Route 157.
9 | Washington Park  | Route operates between the Emerson Park and Washington Park transit centers. Intermediate stops include the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center MetroLink station.
12 | O'Fallon-Fairview Heights  | Route operates between the Fairview Heights and Shiloh-Scott transit centers. Serves various locations in O'Fallon including St. Clair Square.
13 | Caseyville  | Route operates between the Fairview Heights Transit Center and Collinsville. Generally follows Main Street and Morrison Avenue.
14 | Memorial Hospital-Westfield Plaza  | Route operates between the Memorial Hospital Transit Center and 74th Street at Westchester. Intermediate stops include Memorial Hospital, Country Club Plaza, and Westfield Plaza.
15 | Belleville-O'Fallon  | Route operates between the Belleville Transit Center and downtown O'Fallon. Intermediate stops include Green Mount Crossing and Memorial Hospital.
16 | St. Clair Square  | Route operates between the College Transit Center and downtown Collinsville. Generally follows Route 159 with intermediate stops at the Belleville and Swansea transit centers and St. Clair Square.
23 | Belleville-College  | Route operates between the Belleville and College transit centers. Primarily along State Route 161.

#### Airport Shuttle

[edit]

SCCTD operates a shuttle between the Shiloh-Scott MetroLink station and MidAmerica St. Louis Airport seven days per week on a schedule that accommodates all daily flights. Rides cost $3.00 per one-way trip and each shuttle can accommodate 14 passengers.[20]

### MetroLink

[edit]

Main article: MetroLink (St. Louis)

MetroLink at the Shiloh-Scott Station

MetroLink serves 11 light rail stations within St. Clair County. All 11 stations are served by the Red Line, while six are served by the Blue Line.[21]

In 2019, the district was awarded $96 million in Illinois infrastructure funding to build a 5.2-mile (8.4 km) extension of the Red Line from Shiloh-Scott to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah.[22] This extension will include two 2.6-mile (4.2 km) segments, a double-track and a single-track segment, along with a station at the airport.[23] Construction on the extension began in 2023 with Metro Transit expecting to begin operations in early 2026.[24][25][26]

### Paratransit

[edit]

The St. Clair County Transit District operates paratransit service for riders who are certified as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) eligible and those aged 60 and older. The service is operated by the Alternative Transportation System (ATS).[27][28]

### SCCTD Flyer

[edit]

The SCCTD Flyer is an app-based, on-demand microtransit service provided by Via Transportation with the St. Clair County Transit District. The Flyer operates in six service zones including; Belleville, Brooklyn, East St. Louis, Fairmount City, Scott Air Force Base, and a Mobility on Demand (MOD) zone around Mascoutah.[29] Rides cost $1.00 per one-way trip to or from Metro Transit Centers and $3.00 per one-way trip from the MOD zone.[30]

## See also

[edit]

* Bi-State Development Agency
* Madison County Transit
* Metro Transit (St. Louis)
* Transportation in St. Louis

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "About". St. Clair County Transit District. Retrieved 2025-03-31.
2. ^ "MetroBus". St. Clair County Transit District. Retrieved 2025-03-31.
3. ^ "MetroLink". St. Clair County Transit District. Retrieved 2025-03-31.
4. ^ "Paratransit". St. Clair County Transit District. Retrieved 2025-03-31.
5. ^ "MetroBikeLink System – Ride. Walk. Bike". St. Clair County Transit District. Retrieved 2025-03-31.
6. ^ ""Local Mass Transit District Act"". Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
7. ^ "MetroLink, August 1, 1993". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1993-08-01. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
8. ^ "A History of Transit Sales Tax Initiatives: St. Clair County – Gateway Streets". Retrieved 2025-04-02.
9. ^ "LRT Information Page: St. Louis". lrt.daxack.ca. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
10. ^ "St Louis MO Light Rail System". railfanguides.us. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
11. ^ "Metro – Inside MetroLink". Metro. Archived from the original on September 11, 2008. Retrieved October 23, 2007.
12. ^ "Metro – Inside MetroLink". Metro. Archived from the original on September 11, 2008. Retrieved October 23, 2007.
13. ^ "UrbanRail.Net > North America > USA > Missouri > St. Louis Metrolink". www.urbanrail.net. Archived from the original on October 1, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
14. ^ Troxell, Karen (2025-02-10). "CMT Partner Awarded $200,000 to Continue Expanding Trail Network Linked to Transit in Metro East". Citizens For Modern Transit. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
15. ^ "MetroBikeLink System – Ride. Walk. Bike". St. Clair County Transit District. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
16. ^ Schlinkmann, Mark (June 14, 2019). "Illinois to pay for long-sought MetroLink extension to MidAmerica Airport". STLtoday.com. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
17. ^ Cella, Kim (November 1, 2023). "Construction Underway on MetroLink Extension Project in St. Clair County". St. Clair County Transit District. Archived from the original on November 7, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
18. ^ "Construction underway on 5-mile MetroLink extension from Scott AFB to MidAmerica Airport". STLPR. 2023-12-28. Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
19. ^ "MetroBus Schedule". Metro Transit – Saint Louis. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
20. ^ "MidAmerica Airport Shuttle". St. Clair County Transit District. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
21. ^ "MetroLink Schematic Map" (PDF). Metro St. Louis.
22. ^ Schlinkmann, Mark (June 14, 2019). "Illinois to pay for long-sought MetroLink extension to MidAmerica Airport". STLtoday.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
23. ^ "Trajectory for Transit in 2022 Points to Need for Continued Collaboration". January 19, 2022. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
24. ^ "When will MetroLink extension to MidAmerica Airport be complete? How much will it cost? - MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (BLV) | Mascoutah, IL". flymidamerica.com. July 14, 2021. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
25. ^ Cella, Kim (November 1, 2023). "Construction Underway on MetroLink Extension Project in St. Clair County". St. Clair County Transit District. Archived from the original on November 7, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
26. ^ "Construction underway on 5-mile MetroLink extension from Scott AFB to MidAmerica Airport". STLPR. 2023-12-28. Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
27. ^ "Paratransit". St. Clair County Transit District. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
28. ^ "About the SCCTD". St. Clair County Transit District. n.d. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
29. ^ "SCCTD Flyer". St. Clair County Transit District. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
30. ^ "SCCTD Flyer Mascoutah/Lebanon/Summerfield/O'Fallon". St. Clair County Transit District. Retrieved 2025-04-02.

## External links

[edit]

* St. Clair County Transit Web site
* Official Metro Web site

* v
* t
* e

MetroLink (St. Louis)

Lines|

*      Red Line
*      Blue Line
*      Green Line

Infrastructure|

* Cross County Tunnels
* Downtown Tunnel
* Eads Bridge
* Union Station Baggage Tunnel
* List of MetroLink stations

Rolling Stock|

* Siemens SD-400 and SD-460
* Siemens S200

Rail Yards and Shops|

* 29th Street Yard and Shops
* Ewing Yard and Shops

Major Transit Centers|

* Civic Center
* Clayton
* Central West End
* Emerson Park
* Fairview Heights
* Forest Park–DeBaliviere
* North Hanley
* Rock Road
* Shiloh–Scott
* Shrewsbury

Connecting services|

* Illinois:
* Alternative Transportation System
* Madison County Transit
* MetroBus
* Missouri:
* Loop Trolley
* MetroBus
* Metro Call-A-Ride
* Via Metro STL

Other Connections|

* Gateway Transportation Center
* St. Louis-Lambert International(IATA:STL)
* MidAmerica St. Louis(IATA:BLV)

Expansions|

* MidAmerica Airport
* Green Line MetroLink
* Previous Proposals

Operators|

* Metro Transit
* St. Clair County Transit District

Italics denote lines or service which are planned or not operating
Bold denotes primary transfers or terminals

* v
* t
* e

Public transportation in Greater St. Louis

Public transit agencies|

* Madison County Transit
* Metro Transit
* St. Clair County Transit District

Local and express bus service|

* Illinois:
* Madison County Transit
* MetroBus
* Missouri:
* MetroBus

Demand response|

* Illinois:
* Alternative Transportation System
* Madison County Transit
* Missouri:
* Metro Call-A-Ride
* Via Metro STL

Light rail|

* MetroLink:
*      Red Line
*      Blue Line
*      Green Line
* List of MetroLink stations
* MidAmerica Airport Extension
* Previous Proposals

Streetcar|

* Loop Trolley

Infrastructure|

* Cross County Tunnels
* Downtown Tunnel
* Eads Bridge
* MacArthur Bridge
* Merchants Bridge
* Union Station Baggage Tunnel
* Yards & Depots

Intercity rail|

* Amtrak:
* Alton Station
* Gateway Transportation Center
* Kirkwood Station
* Lincoln Service
* Missouri River Runner
* Texas Eagle

Intercity bus|

* Amtrak Thruway
* Burlington Trailways
* Greyhound Lines
* Megabus

Airports|

* St. Louis-Lambert International(IATA:STL)
* MidAmerica St. Louis(IATA:BLV)
* Spirit of St. Louis(IATA:SUS)
* St. Louis Downtown(IATA:CPS)
* St. Louis Regional(IATA:ALN)

Other|

* Bi-State Development Agency
* East-West Gateway Council of Governments
* Transportation in St. Louis

Italics denote lines or service which are planned or not operating

* v
* t
* e

Public transit in Illinois

Statewide|

* Amtrak
* Barons Bus Lines
* Burlington Trailways
* Flixbus
* Greyhound Lines
* Peoria Charter Coach Company
* Van Galder Bus Company
* Wisconsin Coach Lines
* List of intercity bus stops in Illinois

Chicagoland|

* Airport Transit System
* Chicago Transit Authority
* "L"
* Metra
* Pace
* Pace Pulse
* South Shore Line

Metro East|

* Metro Transit:
* MetroBus
* MetroLink
* Madison County Transit
* St. Clair County Transit District

North|

* Beloit Transit
* DeKalb Public Transit
* Galesburg Transit
* Go West Transit
* Quad Cities MetroLINK
* River Valley Metro Mass Transit District
* Rockford Mass Transit District

Central|

* Champaign County Area Rural Transit System
* Champaign–Urbana Mass Transit District
* Coles County Zipline
* Connect Transit
* Danville Mass Transit
* Decatur Public Transit System
* Greater Peoria Mass Transit District
* Quincy Transit Lines
* Sangamon Mass Transit District
* SHOW Bus

South|

* Jackson County Mass Transit District
* Monroe Randolph Transit District
* Rides Mass Transit District
* Shawnee Mass Transit District
* South Central Illinois Mass Transit District

Transportation in Illinois
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*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template