load and print a copy of an application for new service, fill it out and bring it with you.
• For natural gas: If your new residence is located inside the Springfield city limits, the application process begins with a call to Ameren at 888-672-5252 (toll-free) or 217- 753-5513. If you have no bad credit with the company, service may be started as early as the next day. You will receive an application form in the mail that you can sign and return along with copies of your driver’s license and Social Security card. If your credit is bad or nonexistent, you will have to provide an extra ID, such as a voter-registration card. In some parts of this region, Ameren may also be your electric provider.
• For telephone service: Local phone service in Springfield is provided by SBC, McLeod USA, AT&T and Comcast. Although you can establish service with a single phone call, it may take more time than you would expect. First check the company’s Web site so you’ll know which packages and options you want. Don’t forget to ask about local toll calls if you make a large number of calls to nearby communities. Call SBC (800- 244-4444), McLeod USA (800-333-4059), AT&T (800-222-0300) or Comcast (80-266- 2278) to learn your options.
• For cable television: In many areas of Springfield, you may be unable to view the three major networks without some form of cable TV. Comcast offers a range of plans and products, including HDTV. Visit the Web site, www.comcast.com, before calling to determine which options you want, or call 217- 788-5656 or 800-266-2278. Greene County Cable Television provides a variety of plans for the areas of Williamsville, Sherman, Riverton, Athens and Petersburg. Call 217-793- 8939 or 800-252-1799 for more information.
• For trash pickup and curbside recycling: The city does not provide garbage pickup, but several private disposal services operate in Springfield and Sangamon County. Residential pickup rates, which currently start at $11.75 per month, are regulated by the city. You may want to ask your real-estate agent, neighbors, or friends for information to help you determine which haulers serve your neighborhood, or look in the Yellow Pages under “Garbage and Rubbish Removal.”
Education
More than 15,000 school-aged children are educated by Springfield School District 186. The school has 24 elementary schools, an early learning center, a charter school for kindergarten through eighth grade, five middle schools, and four high schools. The city is also home to about 20 private schools. In addition, 13 public and private colleges and universities are located within a 45-mile radius of the capital city. The list includes Blackburn College, Illinois College, Lincoln Christian College, Lincoln College, Lincoln Land Community College, MacMurray College, Millikin University, Richland Community College, Robert Morris College, St. John’s School of Nursing, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield College in Illinois/Benedictine University, and University of Illinois Springfield.
Library
Springfield’s mayor has described Lincoln Library, Springfield’s public library, as a place to find “more than just books and information.” It’s the place to do genealogical or local history research in the Sangamon Valley Collection, to use unique electronic resources, to borrow an audiobook or compact disc for your next car trip, to pick up a movie for the weekend, to hear your favorite story, to check your e-mail, to photocopy important papers, to hop on the library’s wireless network with your laptop, to explore your college options through the College Assistance Program (CAP), to attend a meeting of a local civic group, and to share your thoughts about that great book you just finished reading. Lincoln Library is a 21st century facility designed for a 21st century community, committed to meeting customers’ needs for information, lifelong learning and the simple pleasure of reading. Make it your destination for reference, research, reading and relaxing. www.lincolnlibrary.info
Transportation
Springfield is home to The Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, served by the commercial carriers United Express and American Eagle, which make daily commercial flights to and from Chicago’s O’Hare airport. Charter service is also available. For flight information call 788-1060 or check out the airport’s Web site. Amtrak also services the capital city, with six daily trains providing service from Springfield to Chicago, and to St. Louis, Mo. In addition to air and rail, Greyhound Bus Lines also serves the city.
For local travel, the Springfield Mass Transit District operates public bus transportation throughout the city on regularly scheduled routes. Buses operate Monday through Saturday. For bus schedules call 522-5531.
