During the first 20 years Angie Carroll lived in Schaumburg, she didn’t give much thought to getting around because her husband drove.
But things changed when Carroll’s husband was admitted to a local nursing home almost three years ago. She needed to get out every day but didn’t want to drive. When she was shopping one day she spotted a group of women who were about to board a shuttle bus that Schaumburg Township offers for seniors. She called and found out that the bus would pick her up at her home.
“I don’t know how I would have gone to see my husband without it,” Carroll said.
Carroll, 78, used the bus for 2 1/2 years to visit her husband, who died in May, and still relies on it for medical appointments and shopping.
It’s not just seniors without cars who are affected, said Schaumburg Trustee Patrick Riley, chairman of the village’s Transportation Committee.
“There are a lot of families out there that only have one car, and it’s tough to get around,” Riley said.
With a combined population of almost 125,000 and formidable economies employing thousands and catering to shoppers, Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates look for alternative transportation.
“To think people are going to give up the car is unrealistic,” said Hoffman Estates Village Manager Jim Norris. “(But) there are people who could change their commuting patterns for certain trips to public transportation if it were more convenient.”
Schaumburg has several transportation options. At Pace’s Northwest Transportation Center, commuters can park and catch one of eight buses connecting Schaumburg to the rest of the metropolitan area, or Special Events buses to see the Chicago Bears or Cubs.
Schaumburg also is on Metra’s Milwaukee District West Line running between Chicago and Elgin. Parking facilities hold almost 1,400 cars and will be reconstructed beginning later this year for better pedestrian and bicycle access. Also, Pace Route 602 connects residential areas in the south part of the village to Schaumburg’s Metra train station.
For traveling in town, Schaumburg offers a Lunchtime Shopper’s Shuttle between three office complexes and Woodfield shopping center, a curb-to-curb Dial-A-Ride service, and for seniors, a subsidized taxicab program through five licensed cab companies.
In addition, the village promotes use of its 84 miles of bicycle trails for shopping, recreation and other travel needs.
Bob Pautsch and Jim McDermott, co-workers at Motorola and biking enthusiasts, choose two-wheeled transportation to get to work during warmer months.
“It’s a little longer, but it’s fun and you don’t have the same aggravations that you have with driving,” said McDermott, who lives in Roselle.
But the village wants more and is considering a bus route that would connect residents to shopping centers and other popular destinations inside Schaumburg.
Hoffman Estates faces the same challenge of moving residents and workers. There are no Metra stations in the village, but two Pace routes along Golf and Higgins Roads connect commuters to the Northwest Transportation Center in Schaumburg, and Pace offers fixed route and subscriber services to Prairie Stone.
The Village Board last year adopted a taxicab licensing program to ensure cabs serving Hoffman Estates are inspected and is considering a subsidized taxi program for seniors.
This year, officials will seek federal funding for a bus shuttle service to connect major employment centers with the Barrington Metra station and lobby Pace for bus service connecting residents to popular destinations in and outside the village.
“If you look at where people who live in Hoffman Estates want to go, they don’t want to travel just within Hoffman Estates,” said Director of Transportation Michael Hankey, citing a survey conducted in 1998. “They want to go to Harper College, they want to go to Woodfield, they want to go to downtown, they want to go to the train stations.”
Even new sidewalks to encourage walking all figure into the village’s transportation strategy. With the help of federal funds, Hoffman Estates over the last six years has put in sections of sidewalk along Barrington, Golf and Higgins Roads, connecting residential neighborhoods to commercial areas, recreational facilities and Hoffman Estates High School. More work is expected this year.
The Illinois Department of Transportation is drawing plans to extend improvements completed last year on Golf and Higgins Roads westward, through the Golf-Higgins intersection. Hoffman Estates plans to widen the Barrington-Higgins intersection, and improve Barrington Road up to the Barrington-Northwest Tollway interchange, and has asked the Tollway Authority for more on and off ramps at the Barrington interchange.
The Northwest Corridor Transit Feasibility study is looking at a menu of options that include rail and bus services, including a possible extension of the CTA Blue Line in Rosemont to Schaumburg. Commuter rail service also is being studied on the 105-mile Elgin, Joliet & Eastern freight line. The route would circle Chicago and intersect all of Metra’s existing routes that radiate from the Loop.
Ultimately, local officials like Schaumburg’s Riley believe getting more people out of their cars will benefit everyone.
“I think it just improves your overall quality of life,” Riley said.
NUTS AND BOLTS OF VILLAGES’ TRANSIT SYSTEMS
Schaumburg
Metra
The Milwaukee District West Line runs between Elgin and downtown Chicago. The station, 2000 S. Springinsguth Rd., has parking for almost 1,400 vehicles. An agent is on duty from 5 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., 847-895-9260. Call Metra Passenger Services, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 312-322-6777; evenings and weekends, Travel Information Center 312-836-7000.
TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf), weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 312-322-6774; evenings and weekends, 312-836-4949.
Metra’s Web site is www.metrarail.com
Pace buses
Route 209: Daily service between Harlem/Higgins CTA Station and Northwest Transportation Center (NWTC), includes Woodfield shopping center.
Route 554: Morning rush hour service from Elgin to NWTC starting at 6 a.m. and afternoon service from NWTC to Elgin starting at 3:15 p.m. Five buses each way run roughly every half hour, and the 3:15 p.m. bus stops at Woodfield. Also an 11 a.m. bus from NWTC to Elgin.
Route 555: Morning rush hour service from NWTC to Elgin starting at 6:55 a.m. and afternoon service from Elgin to NWTC starting at 3:15 p.m. with a stop at the Prairie Stone Business Park in Hoffman Estates.
Route 600/616: Morning rush hour between NWTC and Rosemont CTA station, starting at 4:45 a.m. and afternoon service back to NWTC starting at 4:40 p.m. Board Route 616 for 4:45 and 5:15 a.m. trips out of NWTC, and 7:05 p.m. return from Rosemont.
Route 606: Weekday service between the Woodfield Corporate Center and Rosemont CTA station, stopping at NWTC and Woodfield.
Route 696: Weekday service between Randhurst Shopping Center in Mt. Prospect and NWTC early mornings and afternoons; between Randhurst and Harper College midday. Stops at Roosevelt University, Arlington Heights International Racecourse, the Cook County Courthouse in Rolling Meadows and Woodfield.
Route 699: Weekday service between Palatine and Elk Grove Village with stops at Alexian Brothers Medical Center, Streets of Woodfield shopping center, the NWTC, Woodfield and Harper College.
Route 757: Rush-hour service between Forest Park Transit Center and Cook County Courthouse. Stops include the NWTC, Woodfield and Streets of Woodfield.
Route 602: Rush-hour service starting in the morning near Golf and Higgins Roads that winds south to the Schaumburg Metra Station. Morning bus meets city-bound 6:15 and 7:15 a.m. trains, afternoon bus meets trains returning at 4:25 and 5:17 p.m.
Pace Special Events bus also takes passengers from NWTC to Bears and Cubs games, Navy Pier and Taste of Chicago. For more information on those services call 847-228-2416.
For more general information, call Pace at 847-364-7223. Or visit their Web site at www.Pacebus.com.
The Lunchtime Shopper’s Shuttle
Three routes between Woodfield and several office centers. Buses run every 10 to 15 minutes from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and fares are 25 cents. Golf Road route includes stops at Centennial Center I, Hyatt Regency Hotel, One Century Centre, Two Century Centre, Roosevelt University and upper level J.C. Penney in Woodfield. Woodfield Road route includes stops at the Woodfield Financial Center, Schaumburg Corporate Center, Zurich Towers, One National Plaza and lower level J.C.. Penney. The Martingale Road route includes stops at Woodfield Corporate Centers I, II, III and IV, the Streets of Woodfield and the upper level of Lord & Taylor.
For more information, call 847-895-0007, ext. 258.
Dial-A-Ride
Curb-to-curb service within the village for $1.30. Rider also can purchase a transfer to fixed-route Pace buses. Discounted fares are available for seniors and disabled riders with a Special User ID card. Applications for the card are available at the Schaumburg Township Office. Operates between 6 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. weekdays, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays. Call about 90 minutes before you want to be picked up. Direct Dial phones to DART (Dial-a-Ride Transportation) are available in the entrance to the upper level of Woodfield shopping center near Ruby Tuesday restaurant, and just east of Bay 4 in the Northwest Transportation Center. Call 847-352-8097.
Taxis:
Five cab companies are licensed to operate in Schaumburg:
303 Taxi, 847-364-0303
American Taxi, 847-253-4411
People Cab Company, 708-544-3494
Schaumburg Limousine, 630-529-8200
USA Taxi, 847-843-7800
Senior Citizen Taxi Discount Program
These companies also participate in the village program that saves seniors $2.70 on each cab ride. For more information, call 847-923-3862.
Schaumburg Township Senior and Disabled Transportation
(See Hoffman Estates list below)
Bicycling
For a pocket-size map of Schaumburg’s bicycle paths, routes and lanes, call 847-895-4500, ext. 223.
Hoffman Estates
Pace
Routes 554 (Golf Road) and 555 (Golf and Higgins Roads). See Schaumburg list above for more details.
Route 610: Express rush hour service from Rosemont CTA Station to Prairie Stone Business Park in the morning, return trips in the afternoon and evening.
Route 767: Morning rush hour service from 54th Avenue Rapid Transit Station to Prairie Stone, reverse commutes in the afternoon.
Subscriber Routes: Pace also operates four subscriber routes serving Prairie Park from various parts of the metropolitan area, including Midway, Evergreen Park, Countryside Plaza, Ford City Mall, Kenwood and Melrose Park. Fares are $99 a month. For more information call 847-228-2492.
Taxis
Hoffman Estates has adopted a taxicab licensing ordinance. The following companies provide service in the village and worked with officials to develop the ordinance:
303 Taxi, 847-364-0303
American Taxi, 847-253-4411
A-1 Taxicab Company, 847-888-3990
Schaumburg Township Senior and Disabled Transportation
Service operates 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays, and 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays.
Service can be used for medical appointments, shopping and virtually any kind of trip except commuting to work. Sunday service limited to church. Service areas include all parts of Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates located in Schaumburg Township. Call at least 24 hours in advance to reserve a spot. Dispatchers on duty 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. Service requests may be prioritized according to nature of the trip. Suggested donation is 75 cents per ride.
