The McLean County Regional Planning Commission is asking residents to complete two surveys to better their transit experiences.
The surveys are aimed at gathering information about issues, concerns and ideas for the existing transportation network as the planning commission work toward establishing a 25-year transportation plan. The commission's Metropolitan Transportation Plan 2055 [MTP 2055] replaces the previous Metropolitan Long-Range Transportation Plan 2050, which identified safety, environmental sustainability, resilience, equity and economic support as top priorities.
That plan was finished in 2022. Since then, a Downtown Bloomington transfer station has gotten underway and Connect Transit has added routes, replacing the Red Express with the Mint Route through Normal's shopping areas and tacking on two runs benefitting ISU and Heartland Community College students.
Bloomingon-Normal's bus system also added contactless fares and absorbed the broad service area previously handled by Show Bus, which includes rural McLean and portions of Livingston County.
An array of roadwork projects are also in various states of completion. And the long-awaited Uptown Underpass easing the journey from one side of the Amtrak tracks to the other is finally underway.
One survey, available online and on paper, seeks feedback on all types of transportation: on the road, rails, sidewalks and in the air.
Human Services Transportation Plan Region 6, which includes McLean and four other Central Illinois counties, is also looking for community feedback to know what needs and services haven't been met by local transit companies. The brief survey is available online.
Residents need to complete the surveys by Sunday, Nov. 1.
