On April 9, local partners including Citizens for Modern Transit, St. Clair County Transit District, AARP in St. Louis, and Metro Transit unveiled a newly transformed MetroBus stop in East St. Louis’ retail corridor, enhancing accessibility and community connectivity.
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (April 9, 2026) … Transit Stop Transformation Project partners—Citizens for Modern Transit, St. Clair County Transit District, AARP in St. Louis and Metro Transit—officially unveiled a newly transformed MetroBus stop in East St. Louis’ retail corridor on April 9. The public opening marked the culmination of an 11-month process of site selection, conceptual design surveying and construction, resulting in a safer, more welcoming space for transit riders and the surrounding community.
Located at 2510 State Street in front of Walgreens, the MetroBus stop serves as a critical connection point linking nearly half of all transit riders in St. Clair County to shopping destinations, employment centers, four Metro Transit Centers and other key destinations. The $90,000 investment transformed a once rundown site into a modern transit amenity featuring a new bus shelter, enhanced seating, improved lighting, wayfinding and added green space. Trivers Architects led the planning and design, with contractor and vendor support from Hank’s Excavating and BLA Studios. The project was funded by in part by the St. Clair County Transit District and Citizens for Modern Transit. Construction began in January and was completed in April 2026.
“Upon arrival at this site in 2025, project partners knew we had an opportunity to create meaningful change that would resonate deeply with transit riders and the community at large,” said Ken Sharkey, managing director of St. Clair County Transit District. “I believe this was accomplished.”
This project marks the fifth Transit Stop Transformation Project completed in St. Clair County and the eighth regionwide. To-date $750,000 plus has been invested to transform the Emerson Park, Belleville, North Hanley, 5th & Missouri and Fairview Heights Transit Centers and Maplewood and Soulard MetroBus stops. Partners work with stakeholders to build consensus and policies to move permanent development forward—and ultimately establish lasting developments at transit stops that are helping to improve safety and security, build ridership and increase activity around transit.
These projects also inspire civic pride, further investment in public transit infrastructure, serve as a catalyst for additional investment around Metro Transit Centers and sparked the launch of the “Story of a Bench.” The bus bench program is a smaller-scale intervention that provides a simple amenity at stops lacking seating created by Citizens for Modern Transit in partnership with AARP in St. Louis.
“Partners have been able to install nine bus benches at MetroBus stops across the bi-state area between our Transit Stop Transformation project in Soulard and the one here in East St. Louis,” said Kimberly Cella, CEO of Citizens for Modern Transit. “Rider feedback indicates that the benches are helping to ease physical and mental stress after a long day at work or school, when carrying groceries or dealing with mobility challenges or health conditions.”
Overall, these programs exemplify a strategic, scalable model for upgrading public transit infrastructure, illustrating how modest investments can generate substantial benefits in community advancement, passenger satisfaction and regional equity.
Learn more at www.cmt-stl.org/transit-stop-transformation-projects/.
Citizens for Modern Transit
Citizens for Modern Transit is the St. Louis region’s transit advocacy organization. Established in 1985 to help bring light rail to St. Louis, CMT’s mission is focused on championing, challenging, encouraging and advocating for public transit in an effort to drive economic growth and improve quality of life. To help support this mission, the organization works to develop ridership programming, transform spaces around transit stops, help secure local and federal transit funding, serve as a strong and effective voice on transit-related issues and opportunities, and ensure safe, convenient, user-friendly and affordable access to the area’s integrated public transportation system. To learn more, visit www.CMT-STL.org or follow the organization on Facebook, X, Instagram or LinkedIn.
AARP in St. Louis
AARP in St. Louis is the local connection for AARP – the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people to choose how they live as they age. Locally this is done through virtual & in-person engagement opportunities, legislative efforts on the local, state and federal level, educational resources, and volunteer opportunities. Advocating for and supporting efforts that contribute to creating a lifelong community is at the core of what we do in the St. Louis region. Learn more at www.aarp.org/stlouis.
About St. Clair County Transit District
The St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD) was founded in 1981 and contracts with Bi-State Development to provide public transportation services in St. Clair County, Ill., by way of 11 MetroLink stations and 14 MetroBus routes and with Southwestern Illinois College to offer paratransit services as well as on-demand, micro transit via the SCCTD Flyer in seven communities. SCCTD has also established and maintains the ever-evolving MetroBikeLink System of interconnecting trails and bike paths that seamlessly connect to six Metro Transit Centers – linking individuals to jobs, education, healthcare, entertainment, trails and other destinations throughout the bi-state region. To learn more, visit www.SCCTD.org or follow the District on Facebook, X, Instagram or LinkedIn.
About Metro Transit
Metro Transit operates the St. Louis region’s public transportation system, which includes 24 battery electric buses and 237 clean-burning diesel buses that serve 59 MetroBus routes in eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois. Metro also operates MetroLink light rail vehicles on 46 miles of track serving 38 stations in the two-state area, and operates Metro Call-A-Ride, a paratransit fleet of 123 vans. Metro Transit is a Bi-State Development enterprise. To learn more, visit www.metrostlouis.org or follow Metro Transit on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
East St. Louis transit, MetroBus stop, transit improvement, community transit projects, Citizens for Modern Transit, St. Clair County Transit District, AARP St. Louis, Metro Transit, public transportation upgrades
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