Planning Programs and Projects

The RTA has awarded $53,628 to the Village of Ford Heights for Phase I engineering needed to improve the sidewalk network, add concrete pads to select bus stops, and install ADA-compliant crosswalks at key intersections surrounding the Pace Route 357. The bus route runs through the center of the village and forms a loop around the future 60-acre mixed-use New Town Center development. There are currently significant gaps in the sidewalk network that connects these surrounding areas with bus stops, and most crosswalks in the area are faded and are not ADA-compliant.

The RTA has awarded $55,000 to the City of Harvard for Phase I engineering needed for pedestrian access improvements along Illinois Route 173 from Marengo Road to US Route 14, including new sidewalks, ADA crosswalks, and pedestrian access over Mokeler Creek. Currently, there are no sidewalks along Route 173, forcing pedestrians to walk on the shoulder. At the crossing of Mokeler Creek, pedestrians have to walk in the travel lanes of Route 173 to get over the creek.

The RTA has awarded $55,000 to the City of Harvey to complete Phase I engineering required for improvements along Broadway Avenue in downtown Harvey. The project will include transit access improvements such as bus shelters, pedestrian improvements including ADA-compliant intersections, and new roadway bike facilities. These improvements will better provide for a multi-modal downtown Harvey and will connect the new Pace Harvey Transportation Center with Broadway Avenue.

The RTA has awarded $44,000 to the Village of Maywood for Phase I engineering needed for a covered bicycle shelter near the 5th Avenue Metra station served by the Union Pacific West line, heated bus shelters along 5th Avenue as served by Pace, wayfinding signage for the train station, and pavement marking improvements.

The RTA is providing assistance to the City of Des Plaines in soliciting guidance and advice from development experts through a half-day discussion panel. This panel will discuss the development climate and potential strategies to prepare for and attract development to specific parcels near the the intersection of Lee and Oakton Streets, adjacent to Pace Route 250 and future stations for the Pace Pulse Dempster Line. The goal of the developer discussion is to provide direct insight to local public officials and landowners on the current market for development within the study area and ways in which the City can attract reinvestment adjacent to transit stations.

The RTA is supporting Equiticity, an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3), with advancing development of a community mobility center in Bronzeville, near the 51st Street Green Line station. The RTA will assist with identifying community perceptions of existing public transit; with understanding transportation’s impact on environment & personal wellbeing; with gauging the receptivity to climate-friendly mobility modes, gauging the demand for shared bikes, e-bikes, e-scooters & e-vehicles, and with obtaining feedback on design and implementation of the hub and its services. 

The RTA is assisting the City of Geneva with establishing a special financing district to implement recommendations contained in the Downtown Station-Area Master Plan. An existing Special Service Area (SSA) is in place but set to expire in 2023. The RTA will assist the City to determine whether to extend and expand the scope of the SSA and/or create a different funding source, funding generated from which would work to implement plan recommendations.

The RTA will assist the City of Joliet to develop an ETOD plan for areas of downtown adjacent to the Joliet Gateway Center, a hub for Amtrak, Metra and Pace services. The goals of the ETOD plan are to create equitable housing opportunities adjacent to public transportation that are not currently available in the downtown; increase ridership on existing public transportation routes; spur new investment in the adjacent neighborhood, including underutilized commercial buildings on Washington Street; utilize existing city-owned parking lots for shared parking opportunities; transition publicly owned land into the private sector to generate property tax revenues; and increase and stabilize property values in the immediate area.

The RTA will assist the Village of Riverdale to complete a Mobility Improvement and TOD Action Plan in transit served areas of the Village. The study area includes the 138th Street corridor, Riverdale and Ivanhoe Metra Station areas, S. Halsted Street and S. Indiana Ave. The planning efforts will also incorporate special considerations for current ADA specific infrastructure needs and outline funding opportunities the Village can pursue. The goals for this study include creating specific steps to improve access to all modes of transit within the Village, enhancing safety for residents of all abilities, identifying transit-oriented development opportunities, and creating a guide to secure implementation funding for the Village

The RTA will provide assistance to the Village of University Park with identifying a financial strategy to implement the recommendations contained in their newly completed TOD Plan. The RTA will assist the Village with analyzing the plan recommendations, reviewing funding and financing options to spur investment, and recommend a financial strategy that will position the Village for future development at the University Park Metra station.