Illinois Terminal is a true multimodal facility accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists, served by our local buses, rural transit providers, intercity bus providers, passenger rail, ride share zone. This facility has served our community well, helping downtown Champaign thrive, but it is time to expand. Since the opening in 1999, the number of routes serving Illinois Terminal has increased by 30% and peak utilization has grown by 50%.
With the assistance of a $17,275,000 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the District is moving forward with plans to renovate and expand Illinois Terminal and construct a mixed-use structure for retail, residential, and parking accommodations. Cementing the strong and growing connection between Downtown, Midtown, and the University of Illinois' Campustown, the Illinois Terminal Expansion will make it easier for people to connect to destinations by bus, train, bicycle, and by foot.
Illinois Terminal Expansion at The Yards will:
- Provide accommodations for 23 buses at a time
- Create a safer pedestrian environment
- Construct dedicated platforms for rural and intercity services
- Transform under-utilized land for more productive public use in a thriving downtown
- Improve access to employment centers
- Allow for faster and easier transfers
- Reduce wait times and increase on-time performance
- Renovate and enlarge waiting areas and other amenities for intercity travelers
- Create green space for both passengers and downtown pedestrians
Environmental Assessment
MTD, as project sponsor to the Federal Transit Administration, prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate the potential benefits and impacts of the Illinois Terminal Expansion Project in Champaign, Illinois. The EA documents the benefits and impacts of the alternatives considered pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The EA also evaluates the effects of the Project on historic properties in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and whether the Project results in the use of any historic sites, publicly-owned parks, recreation, and wildlife/waterfowl resources protected under Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966, as amended. All interested parties are invited to visit the online presentation, review the EA posted below, and submit comments on the Project.