As the Mass Transit Board votes on the issue of whether the Huskie Line, the second largest mass transit system in Illinois behind the CTA, will expand its coverage base by routing to Aurora and Geneva.

This is an important vote. Essential not only in determining whether students without automobiles will have access to prominent shopping centers such as Fox Valley Mall, but also in terms of the NIU transportation’s future.

We ask that the board approve the proposal to expand the Huskie Line for a few reasons.

First and foremost, the expansion to the western suburbs not only will provide the student body access to shopping malls, but it will give them another option for getting home on the weekends, should they live in the suburbs or Chicago. For example, a student can take the Huskie Line into Aurora, then hop on a Metra Train and reach anywhere the train goes, and even the city.

Second, given the tenets of our first point, the line’s expansion could result in a solution to our campus’ parking problems. Should we have a bus system that runs into Aurora and Geneva, students would have another way to get home besides using a car. And because the Huskie Line currently caters to every desired location in DeKalb, they wouldn’t need their car on campus. Less cars mean more parking spaces and a possible solution to our parking woes.

This also could be beneficial to commuter students from the suburbs. Especially in the winter, when the weather conditions on some days make some commuter students question whether they want to shovel their cars out of the snowbanks before risking their lives or sanity on the roads to NIU.

But if the board does vote “yes” to this proposal, it should think very seriously about expanding to the Rockford-area, as well. From a shopping standpoint, while it is true that the suburbs have an abundance of quality shopping, Rockford shares the opportunities. And while the Chicagoland-area contains a good portion of our students, both commuter and otherwise, a significant portion also come from Rockford, as well.

Should the board approve the suburban expansion and then in-turn expand to Rockford, NIU would be the center of a super-conductor of transportation that would directly connect Rockford with the Chicagoland area and indirectly with Chicago. This would be appealing not just for students but for residents of Rockford and the western suburbs. The financial gains of this deal could be beneficial to the university.

Vote yes, then expand.