LINCOLN - As coordinator of the Transit Partnership Group of Logan, Mason and Menard counties, Angela Stoltzenburg knew people had trouble getting from Point A to Point B.

"About 22 percent of the residents who responded to a survey on transportation issues said they did not have adequate transportation," Stoltzenburg said. "That can mean different things to different people, but still, that translates into a high percentage and one that must be addressed."

The group has entered the third phase of a five-step process to get federal transportation money. The three counties are coordinating their efforts.

"It seems to be working very well so far," Stoltzenburg said. "We have received enough of the survey results back to end that phase and move forward. So, we're getting closer to being finished, but now what we have to do is create an action plan to coordinate public transportation services."

Stoltzenburg also is executive director of Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois. She has overseen a committee of about 50 people who have been working on the project for nearly a year. The Logan County Board has supported the project from the start.

"Anyone can still join and help them out at anytime," Logan County Board member Pat O'Neill said. "There is still a lot of work to be done, but they have really made progress in the last few months."

The focus now turns to analyzing the results from the surveys and creating a plan to improve public transportation.

"The community survey results showed us that transportation is a serious need for residents in the area," Stoltzenburg said. "Over 60 percent of the individuals surveyed were unable to attend medical appointments in the past six months due to a lack of transportation. The members of this group are confident that we can find a way to do better than that."

Establishing a preliminary route system is among the duties the committee will work on in the next phase of the project. Finding resources to transport residents to medical appointments, shopping trips and to visit friends were mentioned as needs during the survey process.

kbarlow@pantagraph.com