St. Clair County Transit opens $6M bike trail extension towards MidAmerica Airport
A $6 million, 4.5-mile extension of St. Clair County’s MetroBikeLink Trail spanning the existing bike path at Shiloh-Scott Transit Center to near MidAmerica St. Louis Airport is officially open.
“The Saint Clair County Transit District is excited to celebrate the official opening of the MetroBikeLink extension to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. The new 4.4-mile paved bike and pedestrian pathway is a part of the ever-evolving MetroLink bike system,” said Ken Sharkey, managing director of the St. Clair County Transit District.
A crowd of cyclists, ready for the inaugural ride along the new trail, gathered Saturday morning at the Shiloh-Scott station. The trail runs parallel to the MetroLink track to MidAmerica and is lined with native flowers.
The ribbon-cutting presentation and opening of the trail marked the completion of the first segment of a three-part expansion project to connect the trail between the Scott-Shiloh station to the airport. Construction on the trail started in 2023.
The project’s second part includes a 2.4-mile extension of the frontage road where MidAmerica is located. Its expected completion is in about two weeks, Sharkey said.
Phase three is the extension of the MetroLink track to MidAmerica. The construction is complete and is currently under testing for safety by Metro.
“This new trail will closely connect to the final MetroLink station on the St. Clair County alignment, which is set to open in a few short months,” Sharkey said.
In attendance on Saturday were SCCTD Board trustees George Markezich, Lonnie Mosley, and Dr. Derienzia Johnson, and St. Clair County Board members Stephen Reeb, Robert Trentman, and chairman Mark Kern.
“This new trail checks a lot of boxes,” said Kern. “We know that people like long stretches to ride their bikes so they can really get the speed up and spread their wings. This is a great spot to do that.”
The trail offers a lot of beauty along the way, he said, including a view of wetland, a bridge, and “the MetroLink alignment that’s going to end eventually at MidAmerica Airport, where we will be one of the few airports in the nation to be connected to another airport, which will be Lambert Airport in St. Louis.”
The county received additional funding, including $300,000 from the Metro East Parks and Recreation District and $200,000 from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
“The continued expansion of the MetroBikeLink System reflects our commitment to providing safe, accessible and connected transportation options for residents and visitors alike,” said Kern. “This new segment not only enhances recreational opportunities, but also strengthens connections to jobs, education and other destinations throughout the bi-state region.”
Roadway improvements associated with the expansion will begin in the coming weeks, according to a press release from St. Clair County Transit District. The MetroLink extension to the airport is expected to begin service in late summer.
For more information about expansions to St. Clair County’s bike trails, visit scctd.org/metrobikelink.
