Connect Transit officials hope to implement an updated route restructuring plan before school starts in the fall. (WJBC File Photo)

By Paul Morello

BLOOMINGTON - After taking community feedback, Connect Transit is going back to the drawing board on route restructuring.

The transit system held a number of community listening sessions in February and General Manager Andrew Johnson said Monday there will be adjustments made based upon the suggestions received.

"The new proposal is going to take some elements of what we proposed the first time around but we got the message on some other aspects of it, so we plan to take a more cautious approach to it," he said.

The current routes have been in place for nearly 30 years. One of the main concerns from the watchdog group Citizens to Ensure Fair Transit was the proposed routes isolated portions of the community.

Johnson expects a new restructuring proposal to be released in mid-April.

"We need to get those buses running on time, we need those buses to be as efficient and effective for people as possible," Johnson said.

After the new route proposal is released, Johnson said Connect will hold more public information sessions.

He expects the board of trustees to vote on the changes in late June and he said the new routes could be implemented by July. 

Paul Morello can be reached at paul@wjbc.com.