“Taulby has nearly three decades of combined experience in real estate, transportation, public policy, infrastructure and development,” said Constance Gully, chair of the Board of Commissioners for Bi-State Development. “We are excited he is bringing his expertise and leadership to this dynamic organization which is already a well-oiled machine. He is experienced in every aspect of project development, from capital funding to design and construction.”
Roach has served as the chief financial officer at St. Clair County Transit District for the past 18 months and is a frequent Metro Transit rider, as well as public transit advocate. St. Clair County Transit District contracts with Bi-State Development and Metro Transit for MetroLink and MetroBus services in St. Clair County.
“I am honored to have been selected by the Bi-State Development Board of Commissioners to serve as the organization’s next president and CEO. Ensuring passenger safety and rebuilding public confidence will be top priorities. Metro Transit’s security measures are currently under review, and when the recommendations from the consultants are complete, I will work with the Board of Commissioners, the Metro Transit staff, our partner police departments, elected officials and all stakeholders to review and implement these measures,” Roach said. “My job at Bi-State Development will be to support the Metro Transit team to continue to provide a world-class transportation system for our customer base while helping to build a regional foundation for economic development, equity and growth.”
Bi-State Development notes that in the past year, Roach has played a key role in the St. Clair County security mobilization initiative to establish cross-jurisdictional police support for officers on MetroLink trains in Illinois and Missouri. He has contributed to a wide range of other projects over the years including securing transit vehicle purchases and maintenance improvements with Metro Transit and the Illinois Department of Transportation. Three years ago, he successfully reorganized the St. Clair County MetroLink extension project refunding revenue to take advantage of favorable market shifts and superior credit ratings to improve the financial health of a public project. Roach also played a major role in coordinating slope mitigation projects to maintain the structural integrity and long-term viability of transit assets on the Illinois MetroLink alignment. Roach also served as the project manager for MetroBikeLink, a 15-mile bicycle and recreational trail located along MetroLink in St. Clair County. Additionally, Roach is committed to improving access to educational opportunities through public transit. He assisted in implementing the campus improvement plan at Southwestern Illinois College from 2011 to 2014. That project included negotiating an active student transit pass program and campus infrastructure which enhanced student access and campus logistics.
Another priority of Roach’s has been promoting economic growth, not only through public transit access, but through transportation infrastructure development. For the past seven years, he was involved in the multi-million dollar River Bridge District infrastructure project in East St. Louis which utilized public and private sector funding to support economic growth.
