Changes coming today in Fox Valley bus routes

In the lobby of the Kane County Sheriff's Department in St. Charles, there has long been a sign taped by the receptionist's window.

It described how to take the bus from that office (and also the jail, and the Kane County Judicial Center) to Elgin. And it included a warning that the trip could take three hours, because riders would have to ride the 529 bus south on Randall Road to the Aurora Transportation Center, then take the 802 bus back north to the Geneva train station, then transfer to the Route 801 bus to ride to the downtown Elgin transit center.

Sometimes, sheriff's department workers suggested it might be faster to skip the first leg and walk the three miles east to the Geneva train station.

But beginning Monday that trip to Elgin will be shorter, as Pace suburban transit is rejiggering its bus routes that run through the Tri-Cities to Elgin and Aurora.

Route 801 Elgin-Geneva moves over to Randall Road, instead of running on Route 25. That means it will no longer operate on State Street or Gilbert Street in South Elgin; Routes 25 and 64, Kirk Road and the Charlestowne Mall access roads in St. Charles; and Route 38 east of First Street (Route 31) in Geneva.

Pace officials cited low ridership as one reason for the route change.

There are changes to Route 802 Aurora-Geneva. It won't go north of Fulton Street in Geneva, nor will it go to Charlestowne Mall.

Geneva and St. Charles riders who still want to ride public transit to Charlestowne Mall will have to use the new St. Charles-Geneva Call-N-Ride service. A short green Pace bus will provide service in an area bounded by the Geneva Metra station; Kirk Road, with service to Charlestowne Mall and the nearby Wal-Mart store; the Union Pacific Railroad and East Main Street in St. Charles; and Randall Road.

That service will run from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturdays. It also will have scheduled stops at the Geneva train station and the Kane County Judicial Center.

A brochure about Call-N-Ride service is available on buses, by calling (847) 364-7223 option 3, or at pacebus.com/pdf/schedules/592sched.pdf.