SHILOH - Local officials, transit leaders, stakeholders and residents are set to gather Saturday, June 27, 2026, at the Scott-Shiloh Transit Center in Shiloh, Illinois, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and inaugural bike ride celebrating a new $6 million, 4.5-mile extension of the MetroBikeLink Trail.
The event, scheduled for 9 a.m. at 880 Metro Plaza Lane, will mark the opening of the trail segment from the Scott-Shiloh Transit Center to near MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. Those expected to attend include St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern, St. Clair County Transit District Managing Director Ken Sharkey, SCCTD Board of Trustees Chair George Markezich, other project partners, local officials, stakeholders, bike and transit riders, and residents.
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The new segment is part of the MetroLink Expansion Project to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport and marks the completion of the first of three parts of that project. Associated roadway improvements are expected to open in the coming weeks, and the MetroLink extension is anticipated to begin service in late summer.
According to the transit district, the trail runs parallel to the alignment from the existing bike path at Shiloh-Scott Transit Center to near MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. The extension includes scenic views, rolling inclines and three bridges, with no stops along the route. It also passes through Silver Creek Wetlands, which the district said is home to native wildlife.
The district said the trail is designed for cyclists looking to build speed and endurance. The MetroBikeLink Trail serves as the spine of the MetroBikeLink System, a 40-mile network of interconnecting trails throughout St. Clair County.
More than 18 miles of the system run adjacent to the MetroLink alignment between the Fairview Heights Transit Center and near MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, according to SCCTD. The system connects to seven Metro Transit Centers in five communities and is intended to integrate biking and transit use through MetroLink, MetroBus and microtransit options such as the SCCTD Flyer.
Attendees will hear formal remarks from officials before participating in the ribbon cutting and exploring the new trail segment.
To learn more about SCCTD’s MetroBikeLink System, visit www.scctd.org/metrobikelink.
