Press Release
Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Rockford Mass Transit District begins service to CherryVale Mall.

The Rockford Mass Transit District is please to announce that effective Wednesday, November 21, 2007 at 8:45 am, the Rockford Mass Transit District will begin service to CherryVale Mall. This historic first run will leave the downtown RMTD Transfer Center at 8:45 a.m. on the #11 East State Street Route departing from Berth H. The first stop at CherryVale Mall will take place at 9:45 a.m. RMTD will board and alight passengers at the Northeast entrance to the mall located between Sears and JC Penney's.

After the inaugural 8:45 a.m. trip, regular, ongoing service to the mall will be offered the #11 East State Street Route, Monday thru Saturday from 7:45 a.m. until 6:15 p.m. Night service will be provided Monday thru Friday, from 6:35 pm until 10:35 pm on the , #36 Perryville Alpine Route and service will be offered on Sundays on the #40 East State Street Route from 8:15 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. There will be no service to the mall on Thursday, November 22, 2007 in observance of Thanksgiving Day, however normal service hours will resume on Friday, November 23, 2007.

CherryVale Mall is the number one requested destination by RMTD passengers. With the holiday season now upon us, this demand is even greater. RMTD staff receives between and 2 and 5 requests daily for service to the Mall. Given the overwhelming demand by RMTD passengers, coupled with the fact that CherryVale Mall is proposing approximately 500 new job openings with the unveiling of The CherryVale Mall District, a great opportunity exists to match service with needs.

In addition to employment opportunities, service to CherryVale translates to ease of access to the largest shopping mall in the area for persons with disabilities. RMTD transports approximately 6,000 riders with disabilities each month, many of whom are in wheelchairs or rely on a mobility devise. Stopping at the Northeast entrance to the mall will provide a safe and convenient means for all passengers to board and alight the bus.

RMTD is able to provide service to CherryVale Mall due to funding from a Federal JARC grant (Job Access Reverse Commute). In addition to the demand for service to CherryVale Mall from RMTD passengers, agencies and organizations that provide assistance to those seeking employment also expressed ongoing concerns with the lack of service to this retail giant. In 2005, approximately 50 community leaders, employers, consumers and mentors participated in a Transit Forum sponsored by Work Welfare and Families*, a then consumer advocacy organization working to promote and facilitate low income families obtaining sustainable employment. This group of community partners, which has since reorganized into the Mobility Subcommittee, a sub committee of RATS (Rockford Area Transportation Study) also concurred that the CherryVale Mall/Cherry Valley corridor was the #1 ranking service priority.

In May, 2007, RMTD officials announced service to Magic Waters Waterpark off of Bell School Road across from the mall. Ridership during the summer months was over 900. Service to this destination continued after the waterpark closed in September. An average of 200 riders per month have used the bus stop at Magic Waters even after it closed. RMTD officials see this usage trend as a significant indicator that passengers are alighting at Magic Waters and walking to the mall. A direct stop at CherryVale will enable a safer commute for these passengers. District officials also believe that this improvement in service will continue to see a steady increase in ridership. Service to the Magic Waters stop will remain unchanged at this time.

Anyone interested in determining route and schedule information for CherryVale service or any of the other routes RMTD provides should call 815.961.9000 for more information.

The District has a fleet of 64 fixed route and paratransit vehicles, and offers 18 hours of service Monday thru Fridays, 13 hours of service on Saturdays, and 8 hours on Sundays. Rockford Mass Transit also provides service to Loves Park and Machesney Park.

For more information please contact:
FIRST CONTACT: Richard McVinnie, Executive Director 815.961.2230
SECOND CONTACT: Lisa J. Brown, Marketing & Public Relations Specialist 815.961.2226.

*Work Welfare and Families has since merged with and become a part of Center for Tax and Budget Accountablility

520 Mulberry Street - Rockford, IL 61101-1016 - Phone (815) 961-9000 - Fax (815) 961-9892