PEORIA (25News Now) – Some CityLink riders in Creve Coeur will lose their bus stops next week.
Wednesday, Nov. 4, CityLink will discontinue all bus stops in Creve Coeur along its Route 23 Pekin Connector. The transit agency says the move is necessary to meet federal accessibility requirements after determining it doesn’t currently have the funding to provide the required complementary paratransit service in the area.
“We really just want to take a step back and make sure that we’re in compliance first,” said Gregory Wilson, CityLink’s director of marketing. “After that, we definitely want to pick back up service for those riders and look at providing those paratransit services that, by law, we need to provide in the first place.”
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, public transit agencies operating fixed-route bus service are generally required to provide complementary paratransit service for eligible riders with disabilities within three-quarters of a mile of those routes. Paratransit services typically include transportation options which are for eligible people whose disabilities prevent them from using regular bus service.
In a statement, CityLink said funding to provide those paratransit services in Creve Coeur is not currently available. The agency said it is now working to identify funding opportunities and possible partnerships to comply with federal regulations.
“It’s something we want to do, but at the same time it’s very difficult when funding and things of this nature become involved,” Wilson said.
CityLink did not specify how many riders will be affected. Wilson said the agency made the decision to discontinue the Creve Coeur stops internally as it evaluated its operations.
Despite the service change, Wilson said the agency hopes service can eventually return.
“Service can return in the future for sure,” Wilson said. “Again, we really just want to make sure we’re in compliance.”
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