Project is Being Made Possible by “Rebuild Illinois” Grant
One year after Illinois Governor JB Pritzker awarded St. Clair County Transit District with a $9,975,000 “Rebuild Illinois” Grant, dozens gathered at the Emerson Park Transit Center to mark the official start of construction on the new, $13,584,000 Public Safety Center at the site. This space will play a key role in further enhancing the safety and security of public transit – which remains a top regional priority.
The state-of-the-art, two-story, 16,000-square-foot facility will house the Metro Transit Operational Control Center and the St. Clair County CENCOM West 9-1-1 Emergency Dispatch Center, and will include office space for St. Clair County MetroLink Sheriff’s deputies. The goal of the new space is to help bolster communications and security collaboration among Metro Transit, the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, Metro Transit Public Safety, the Bureau of Transit Police and other public safety partners. The building will feature improved rider amenities, including public restrooms for riders and operators of the transit system.
“This project is a critical public safety investment for East St. Louis, St. Clair County and the entire St. Louis metropolitan region,” commented Chair of St. Clair County Transit District’s Board of Trustees and Director of the St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency Herb Simmons. “It will bolster communications and security collaboration among Metro Transit, the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, Metro Transit Public Safety, the Bureau of Transit Police and other public safety partners.”
The project is valued at $13,584,000 and is being funded by a $9,975,000 “Rebuild Illinois” grant received from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker in January 2022, along with funding from St. Clair County Transit District and Bi-State Development. It will be owned and operated by St. Clair County Transit District. The project team includes FGM Architects, Poettker Construction, Southwestern Illinois Building Trades, BRiC Partnership, LLC, Kreher Engineering and Gonzalez Companies, LLC. Construction is expected to be completed in 2024.
Illinois State Senator Christopher Belt added, “This project proves that public transportation can, and will continue to, serve as a catalyst for change in St. Clair County and, more specifically, East St. Louis where new development and jobs have been absent for a long time. And, I wanted to give a special thank you to Citizens for Modern Transit, AARP in St. Louis, St. Clair County Transit District and Metro Transit for their work in 2021 to help transform the Emerson Park Transit Center as part of its Transit Stop Transformation projects.”
View the full video about the Groundbreaking below.