Transportation: Getting Around Town
As suburbanites, we are used to getting in the car whenever we have an errand to run or a place to go. But there are other options. Here are a few:
Public Bus: Pace bus Route 802 runs along Rt. 31 between Aurora and St. Charles, with stops in Batavia. Visit their site for current schedule and fare information: http://www.pacebus.com/.
Train: We are fortunate in Batavia to sit between two train stations that take you into Chicago with interesting stops along the way. The Metra Rail stations are in Geneva and Aurora. Visit their site for current schedule and fare information: http://www.metrarail.com/
Biking: Both the Fox River Bike Trail and the Illinois Prairie Path run through our town. Their maps are on the links. Additional plans for bike paths and safe routes are in the works. The city has the plan posted: Batavia's Bicycle Plan.
Walk/School Bus: When I was a kid, I used to walk 5 miles to school, uphill each way... Okay, really I rode the bus. Our kids can too. Or maybe we can let them walk. Here are some of the benefits to walking:
- Walking recreates no emissions. The city, the park district and the school district have each instituted no-idling policies for their vehicles in an effort to reduce emissions and improve city air quality. We can do our part too. Walk. Or at least, turn off the car while we wait.
- Walking gives kids a chance to decompress after a long day.
- Walking is good exercise.
- Walking teaches kids about their neighborhood, what's around them, what's happening in route.
- The school district participates in International Walk To School Week. What about walk-to-school month or walk-to-school year?