Illinois Funds New ‘Transit to Trails’ Program to Make Parks More Accessible by Bus

A new transit bill signed by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker includes a ‘Transit to Trails’ program aimed at bringing more bus accessibility to parks. 

In a press release, the Sierra Club explains that “Projects that may receive funding from the grant program include altered or expanded operations of existing transit services to accommodate increased public access to the outdoors; new or improved infrastructure to facilitate access, including stations, stops, shelters, and bike infrastructure; and public outreach efforts to inform the public and encourage the use of transit.”

The Sierra Club praises the program for its potential to improve residents’ connection to nature, noting that “In Illinois, 80% of low-income residents and 77% of people of color live in areas with limited access to nature. By expanding bus routes to parks and green spaces, the Transit to Trails program takes a meaningful step toward closing the nature gap.”