Transportation

The Unit 5 school board is sticking with its sometimes-frustrating bus service for one more year. The board Wednesday approved retaining First Student in a short contract.

Almost 11 months ago to the day, Heidi Zimmerman spoke before the Connect Transit board of trustees, making a “desperate plea” that the board not increase rates for Connect Mobility riders.

The Normal Town Council took the first step toward a new budget Monday night with the approval of a six-year Community Investment Plan.

Representatives from First Student made their pitch to Unit 5 officials Wednesday as the school board continues to mull over transportation options for next school year.

Heartland Community College’s Board of Trustees will take up a six-month universal access contract with Connect Transit on Tuesday.

The Illinois attorney general’s office is investigating a complaint related to Connect Transit and whether it’s violating state accessibility laws.

The Connect Transit board is expected to delay a 25-cent fare increase that's scheduled for Jan. 1.

The Town of Normal’s original grant application for the Uptown underpass included a long list of benefits—including enhanced safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and even children’s museum visitors—and also a willingness to put millions in local funding toward the project.

As Normal begins to consider how it wants to approach the upcoming legalization of recreational marijuana, Town Council members hope to get public input from the business and law enforcement communities.

Some Bloomington-Normal community members are criticizing Connect Transit for purchasing electric buses. The transportation agency at the time said by using state and federal grants, the buses will be paid for with “no local funding.”

The Town of Normal is pulling back on a pilot project to allow E-scooters into the community. Talks with Illinois State University and a scooter company began in January, but town planner Mercy Davison said that is now on hold.

University communities around the country have been targeted by E-scooter companies who see an audience for the motorized vehicles. But Davison said that after looking into the ordinances of other communities in Illinois, the town found that scooters would not be a possibility anytime soon.

The Normal Town Council on Monday approved more than $792,000 in late summer road repairs.

City Engineer Brian Otto said the town had considered using concrete instead of asphalt on Cottage Avenue between Gregory Street and Barton Drive, but the money didn't work out.

Bloomington City Council members on Monday rejected two of Mayor Tari Renner’s appointments to the city’s transportation commission, amid claims the city should try harder to place applicants on the boards they requested to serve.

The Bloomington-Normal driving public might have to get used to a new name for a prominent road.

Unit 5 is trying to recruit more bus drivers for next school year by showing them that it’s not as intimidating as it looks.

Illinoisans can now get driver’s licenses and state ID cards that comply with Real ID, the strict federal security requirements that will soon be needed for air travel.

With paychecks for federal workers in Bloomington-Normal still lagging, the Central Illinois Regional Airport has opened a food pantry and support center.

Bloomington Normal's bus system could have a downtown Bloomington transfer center in about five years.

The Normal Town Council has appointed a Commerce Bank vice president to the Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority board.