MCLEAN COUNTY (HOI) – Connect Transit, Bloomington-Normal’s public transportation system, will spend state government dollars to upgrade 51 Bloomington bus stops so they’re more accessible for passengers with disabilities.

The Connect Transit Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to hire JG Stewart Contractors of Bloomington to make the improvements at a cost of $206,000.

Connect Transit’s goal is for all bus stops to be fully complaint with the Americans with the Disabilities Act by 2024.

Construction on the ADA compliant bus stops starts this summer. Later this year, trustees will vote on improvements to about 50 bus stops in Normal.

The construction is part of Connect Transit’s “Better Bus stops for Bloomington-Normal” campaign.

“This has been a very important priority for the trustees and this is another giant step towards achieving that goal,” said Connect Transit Board Chairman Ryan Whitehouse in a prepared statement.

According to Peterson, the funding from the state government’s Rebuild Illinois program.