The Sangamon Mass Transit District will begin installing new bus stop signs along the new suburban “Urbanized Area” routes in Chatham, Riverton/Spaulding, Rochester and Sherman. The signs are being installed in preparation for the launch of the new service expected on September 17th.
“We had been planning to update our bus stop signs across the system for the launch of the new system re-design,” said Steve Schoeffel, service planning & marketing specialist. “Since the new suburban Urbanized Area routes will begin first – in September – we will be installing those new signs along the new routes first.”
SMTD wants to remind residents that the new signs being in place will not signal the beginning of service. The service will begin in the suburban communities on September 17th, along with SMART service in the rural communities across Sangamon County.
“We expect people to start seeing the signs popping up, and we want to avoid as much confusion as possible by reminding everyone this service will begin September 17th,” Schoeffel said. “The signs going up are blanks, and as we get closer to the launch, more detail will be added to the signs to give passengers more information about their route.”
SMTD officials call the sign change significant in that the current bus stop signs look very similar to traditional “No Parking” signs. The new signs will have a blue background, and will clearly be transit signs.
Springfield passengers will start seeing the new signs later in the year in preparation for the launch of the re-designed regular routes January 7th. By the time of the January 7th launch date, SMTD expects new signs across the system to have unique Stop IDs and more information available for passengers via text and smartphones through the new technology currently being implemented.
