Bike Bus
EVENT DETAILS
SPRING 2026 DATES:
- TBD ... watch for details next spring!
DESTINATIONS:
- Cassens Elementary School
- Columbus Elementary School
- Woodland Elementary School
Thank you to everyone who participated in our fall 2025 Bike Bus! We look forward to offering it again in the spring! The Edwardsville Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee hosted three Bike Bus opportunities -- on two Fridays in September and one in October -- at three Edwardsville School District buildings -- Cassens, Columbus and Woodland Elementary Schools. We also offered a "Walk Bus" for Columbus Elementary! These activities aim to offer students a healthy, supervised alternative way of traveling to and from participating schools. Questions? Send us an EMAIL.
So, what's a Bike Bus? It's a fixed route to and from school with designated "bus stops" along the way where bicyclists from different neighborhoods and areas can join up with fellow student riders and the adults who will serve as bus escorts. Also happening: We'll offer a "Walk Bus" on the same three Fridays as the Bike Bus for Columbus Elementary students who want to walk with fellow Jaguars to and from school!
At what schools will the Bike Bus operate? The Bike Bus will operate for the morning and afternoon commute to Cassens Elementary School, Columbus Elementary School and Woodland Elementary School. Keep scrolling for routes, departure/arrival times and stops for the morning and afternoon commutes for each school.
What do you need to do to participate? It's not required, but we're asking participants to register online to give us an idea of how many riders to expect. You MUST wear a bike helmet. Just like on a regular bus, you must be considerate of your fellow riders and follow the directions of the bus "drivers."
Who will "drive" the Bike Bus? We'll have at least one adult escort in clearly marked "BIKE BUS DRIVER" safety vests for each bus. Parents are welcome and encouraged to accompany the bus, but it's not required.
What's the point of organizing a Bike Bus? It's a healthy alternative to traveling by vehicle and it's a fun way to go to school as part of a peloton, or a cluster of bike riders. Plus, it's part of the mission of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee -- to encourage and promote activities that don't require a vehicle and to make sure it's fun, safe and easy to do just that throughout Edwardsville.
Ready to ride? Before you head off for the Bike Bus or other route, check out these quick videos with some helpful tips for a safe and comfortable ride. (Video credit: SIUE Department of Mass Communications)
Woodland Elementary School Bike Bus
- MORNING Starting Point Departure: 8:30 a.m.
- AFTERNOON Starting Point Departure: 3:35 p.m. (meet at school bike racks)
The morning Bike Bus route will begin at the Madison County Transit Nature Trail, at the access point just north of the intersection of Prairie View and Chancellor drives. It picks up the Goshen Trail, traveling under Illinois Route 157 to shift to the Route 66 Trail and then on to Woodland Elementary School. Arrival times for each bus stop will vary, depending on the number of riders, so please arrive early. (Route is reversed for the afternoon commute.)
Woodland Bike Bus Stops
- STARTING POINT: Nature Trail, just north of Prairie View Drive & Chancellor Drive
- FIRST STOP: Goshen Trail at Route 157 (See "white circle" on map)
- ENDING POINT: Woodland Elementary School
WOODLAND BIKE BUS ROUTE
Click on the map (above) for a larger PDF version of the Woodland Elementary School route.
Columbus Elementary School Bike Bus
- MORNING Starting Point Departure: 8:30 a.m.
- AFTERNOON Starting Point Departure: 3:35 p.m. (meet at school bike racks)
The morning Bike Bus route will begin at the Leclaire Park gazebo, 900 Hale Avenue, proceeding north by sidewalk along Hale Avenue, continuing onto South Brown Avenue before switching to the Madison County Transit Nickel Plate Trail. Where the trail meets East Schwarz Street, the Bike Bus heads north on Springer Avenue and then picks up the MCT Quercus Grove Trail. At the intersection with East Vandalia Street, the Bike Bus will head west on East Vandalia, veer north on North Buchanan Street, west on Douglas Avenue, then south on North Kansas Street to Columbus. Several bus stops are planned along the way (listed below). Arrival times for each bus stop will vary, depending on the number of riders, so please arrive early. (Route is reversed for the afternoon commute.)
Columbus Bike Bus Stops
- STARTING POINT: Leclaire Park gazebo, 900 Hale Avenue
- FIRST STOP: Hale Avenue & Jefferson Road
- SECOND STOP: East Schwarz Street & Springer Avenue
- THIRD STOP: East Vandalia Street & St. Andrews Avenue
- FOURTH STOP: Hillsboro Avenue & North Buchanan Street
- ENDING POINT: Columbus Elementary School
COLUMBUS BIKE BUS ROUTE
Click on the map (above) for a larger PDF version of the Columbus Elementary School route.
Columbus Elementary School Walk Bus
- MORNING Starting Point Departure: 8:30 a.m.
- AFTERNOON Starting Point Departure: 3:35 p.m. (meet by the bench near the playground on west side of school - look for "Walk Bus" sign)
The morning Walk Bus route will begin at the junction of Hillsboro Avenue and MCT Trail's Quercus Grove Trail. Participants will walk west on the north side of Hillsboro Avenue, stopping at the north cross-streets leading to Columbus. (Route is reversed for the afternoon commute.)
Columbus Walk Bus Stops
- STARTING POINT: Quercus Grove Trail and Hillsboro Avenue
- FIRST STOP: Hickory Street
- SECOND STOP: Leverette Lane
- THIRD STOP: North Fillmore Street
- FOURTH STOP: North Buchanan Street
- FIFTH STOP: North Kansas Street
- ENDING POINT: Columbus Elementary
COLUMBUS WALK BUS ROUTE
Click on the map (above) for a larger PDF version of the Columbus Elementary Walk Bus route.
Cassens Elementary School Bike Bus
- MORNING Starting Point Departure: 8:30 a.m.
- AFTERNOON Starting Point Departure: 3:35 p.m. (meet at school bike racks)
The morning Bike Bus route will begin at the trailhead to the Madison County Transit Goshen Trail just off Charles Drive (in the back of the Huntington Place subdivision in Glen Carbon). It will proceed south along the trail to Old Troy Road, where the students will dismount their bicycles at the stoplight, using the crosswalk to access the sidewalk on Glen Crossing Road. They'll follow this to Cassens. One bus stop is planned along the way (listed below). Arrival time for the bus stop will vary, depending on the number of riders, so please arrive early. (Route is reversed for the afternoon commute.)
Cassens Bike Bus Stops
- STARTING POINT: Trailhead near Charles Drive
- FIRST STOP: Confluence of the main MCT Goshen Trail and its northeast branch
- ENDING POINT: Cassens Elementary School
CASSENS BIKE BUS ROUTE
Click on the map (above) for a larger PDF version of the Cassens Elementary School route.
BIKE BUS IN THE NEWS! Check out these reports:
St. Louis Public Radio: https://www.stlpr.org/education/2023-10-13/all-aboard-edwardsville-middle-school-students-take-the-bike-bus-this-fall
Living St. Louis (Nine PBS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzwNhTRbQrY
Riverbender: https://www.riverbender.com/articles/details/edwardsville-students-invited-to-join-the-bike-bus-73181.cfm