DeKalb mayoral candidate voices concerns over new bus routes

DeKALB – A candidate for mayor voiced some concerns this week for upcoming bus route changes in DeKalb.

Changes to the city’s bus routes are expected to take effect March 9 with the start of spring classes at Northern Illinois University. The City Council approved the changes without a vote Monday. Mayor Cohen Barnes and 5th Ward Alderman Andre Powell were absent.

Linh Nguyen, who’s running for mayor against incumbent Barnes, 7th Ward Alderman John Walker and fellow NIU colleague Kouame Sanan, said she feared the new changes to a popular route would hinder residents' access to health and child care, NIU campus and more.

“For the first nine years in the U.S., I depended on public transportation,” Nguyen, an immigrant from Vietnam, said. “I understand how crucial these bus stops are for our community members who rely on public transit for their daily needs, such as childcare, school, job and food access. Route 19 isn’t just a bus line, it’s a lifeline.”

According to the city, Route 19 has seen an increased growth of 200% compared to last year. Monthly ridership numbers grew from about 750 to just under 2,500 rides, according to city data. Transit Manager Mike Neuenkirchen had proposed eliminating five of Route 19’s stops, which would help the bus stay on time for riders, documents show. Four of the five stops already are serviced by other city buses, including in the area from First Street to West Hillcrest Drive headed north, and Seventh Street headed east.

Other approved changes to city bus routes included increased service between the Elburn Metra Station and downtown DeKalb on the weekends on Route 12. Routes 10 and 11 will stop making U-turns at Twombly Road and Rosenow Way. Revised stops will be made at the Eco Park apartments on Eco Park and Regent drives. The city’s overnight bus service on Route 11 will cut down standing times for stops at Schnucks Grocery story and Ridge and Normal drives to better keep to the schedule. Route 18 will add a stop at a Sycamore health clinic, 1850 Gateway Drive. And Route 21’s tipper service will be dial-a-ride only in Sycamore.

Assistant Transit Manager Brian Van Hine clarified the city’s plan for the Route 19 changes, pointing to Neuenkirchen’s proposal.

“As Mike said, we’re not going up into the health district, but we do understand the importance of getting the passengers and the employees to and from work,” Van Hine said.

Route 19 has historically featured several different variations, but it’s since been revised down to one route. It will include an area generally bounded by First Street to the west, Hillcrest Drive to the north, and Seventh Street to the east.

The eliminated stops on Route 19 also are serviced by other city buses, according to the city.

Van Hine said Route 18 is where passengers may access the health district, including the DeKalb County Health Department. Route 18 also will add a stop at Northwestern Medicine Immediate Care Sycamore, located on Gateway Drive and Doser Drive.

Van Hine said the changes to Route 19 are meant to help make it run more efficiently.

The route has struggled to stay on time during morning and afternoon rush, city documents show.

Van Hine emphasized the importance of the city locating opportunities to be more efficient with its transit route system operations.

The city has said a majority of the funding comes from outside sources to maintain its public transit route system.

Sixth Ward Alderman Mike Verbic gave kudos to the city for its changes.

“I, for one, applaud how strategically you work and how many rides and getting people to places more and more now on a fixed amount of money,” Verbic said. “It’s really interesting to watch the data over the years and how that has really grown from a success standpoint of getting people to more places.”

After the meeting, Nguyen said Route 19 had a stop on Normal Road, more than a ½ mile from the DeKalb County Health Department. She said she considered that as the route providing service to the health department, even though Route 19 has a stop at the department itself.

Walker criticized Nguyen’s comments.

“It just goes to show how people can throw things out there and say we’re cutting something,” Walker said. “It gets all into the city. People start going back and forth. I like how you eliminated that. The health department is on Route 18 and I always thought it was. I don’t know how it even got involved in [Route] 19.”

Nguyen said her concerns weren’t about cutting bus service, but more that passengers could face additional obstacles. Nguyen said that by eliminating stops on Route 19, riders may have to navigate transfers, which can be more challenging in reality than on paper.

“People who propose these changes most likely never ride the bus themselves [to go] grocery shopping, or go to doctor’s appointments with their children on the bus,” she said. “Their privileges hinder their ability to make sound decisions that serve the people who actually use the bus.”