SMTD Acquires Land for Future Secondary Transit Hub

The Sangamon Mass Transit District (SMTD) has finalized the purchase of 25 acres of land on Springfield's south side for the development of a permanent secondary transit hub, replacing the existing on-street transfer point at Junction Circle. The acquisition is the first step in a multi-year project intended to improve passenger safety, expand transit facilities and accommodate future growth in the city's public transportation system.

The property, located at 350 W. North Street, sits north of Stanford Avenue and approximately half a mile northeast of the current Junction Circle Transfer Point. The site is directly east of the new Hyundai dealership and west of the railroad tracks that cross Stanford Avenue. Plans call for the construction of an off-street transfer facility with access roads connecting to both North Street and Stanford Avenue.

SMTD established the Junction Circle Transfer Point in 2019 as an alternative to routing all buses through its downtown transfer center. The location, situated south of Stanford Avenue and east of MacArthur Boulevard, allows passengers traveling between western and southern Springfield to connect with other routes without requiring every bus to travel downtown. The transfer point was initially introduced to determine whether a secondary hub could improve the efficiency of the district's transit network.

"In 2019, SMTD integrated the Junction Circle Transfer Point into our service, connecting several routes west and south with the downtown transfer center via an express route," said SMTD Managing Director Steve Schoeffel. "The on-street transfer point was intended as a proof-of-concept effort to improve efficiency by not having every route in our system have to travel all the way downtown every trip every day, and it has worked well."

The transfer point has since become a major component of SMTD's operations. According to an operational study conducted in 2025, approximately one-third of all SMTD passengers use the six fixed routes and one express route associated with the secondary hub. The district credits the arrangement with allowing it to extend service into additional areas while maintaining connections to its downtown transportation network.

"The secondary hub concept has allowed us to extend service further than we could before and to better serve our community," said Schoeffel. "Now, with the assistance of federal and state grants, we will be able to provide a safer, more comfortable experience to the passengers that utilize this part of SMTD's system."

The proposed facility would provide several improvements over the existing on-street transfer point, including larger canopies to shelter passengers from weather conditions and electronic passenger information screens similar to those used at the downtown transfer center. SMTD is also considering the installation of ticket vending machines, although those plans have not been finalized. The facility would be designed to accommodate additional transit services and future expansion as demand increases.

Passenger and traffic safety are also factors behind the decision to relocate the transfer point. SMTD anticipates continued development around Junction Circle over the next decade, potentially increasing congestion in an area where buses currently load and unload passengers along public streets. Moving those operations to a dedicated off-street facility would separate transit activity from surrounding traffic and provide additional space for buses and passengers.

"SMTD believes the area around the current on-street transfer point at Junction Circle will develop quickly over the next decade, and a major product of this move to a permanent off-street facility is improved safety for passengers, bus operators, and the driving public by getting out of what could develop into a very busy, very congested area," said Schoeffel.

The new location would also be near the proposed trailhead for The LINC Greenway, a planned pedestrian and bicycle connection that would follow the existing Third Street rail corridor toward downtown Springfield and beyond. SMTD sees the proximity as an opportunity to improve connections between public transportation, pedestrian routes and bicycle infrastructure.

The district has completed environmental impact studies and other requirements established by the Federal Transit Administration and the state. Schoeffel said SMTD expects the project's impact on surrounding properties to be minimal and potentially beneficial as the area continues to develop.

The land acquisition cost SMTD $1.5 million, with most of the purchase funded through state and federal grants. Two grants from Illinois' Rebuild Illinois program provided a combined $954,552.72, while a federal grant contributed another $470,640. SMTD supplied the remaining $74,807.28 from local funds. The property's previous owner, Wanless Trust, also donated the portion of its appraised value exceeding the purchase price in support of the project.

Beyond the property purchase, SMTD has secured approximately $6.9 million in state funding for construction of the facility. The district is seeking additional financial assistance through a recently submitted application to a state capital grant program, although the total construction cost has not yet been finalized.

SMTD hopes to complete the project within the next five years, but an exact construction schedule has not been established. Before work can begin, the district must select an architecture and engineering firm to develop the facility's design, complete the bidding process and choose a construction contractor. Each stage will require approval from the Illinois Department of Transportation, and the availability of additional funding will also influence the project's timeline.

Conceptual illustrations have been prepared to demonstrate what the secondary hub could eventually look like, but the final design will be determined after an architecture and engineering firm is selected. SMTD plans to provide additional information to community stakeholders and the public as the project moves through the planning and development process.

"This land purchase is the completion of the crucial first step of a multi-year process," said Schoeffel. "We look forward to sharing our plans as they develop with stakeholders and the rest of the community and to building another piece of an effective, customer-oriented SMTD service that can be utilized for decades to come."