Planning Programs and Projects

In May 2022, Lake County combined and expanded the Central and West projects into a countywide service.

Ride Lake County is a borderless countywide paratransit service providing seniors (age 60 and above) and individuals with disabilities curb-to-curb transportation. The geographic service includes Lake County along with the entirety of municipalities whose city limits extend beyond the County border into Cook and McHenry County. With no limitations on the purpose of the trip the service operates Sunday through Saturday from 6:00am to 6:00pm (excluding specific holidays).

The service provides expanded dial-a-ride transportation in Lake County to persons with disabilities and older adults residing in central Lake County. Five municipalities and Lake County sponsor the project.

The service provides expanded dial-a-ride transportation in six townships primarily for persons with disabilities and older adults in the western portion of Lake County. The townships, in cooperation with the Lake County Coordinated Transportation Services Committee, and Lake County sponsor the project.

Improvements include covered and non-covered bicycle parking, as well as an ADA ramp at the Village's Yellow stations. The Dempster station will receive 36 additional bicycle parking spots, an improved sidewalk connection to the bicycle parking, and an ADA accessible ramp. At Oakton-Skokie station, bicycle parking will be added to accommodate 30 additional bicycles.

In August, the CTA began installing over 1,300 tactile bus stop signs, with Braille and raised letters, on 12 routes.   These signs provide information about the exact bus stop location to customers who are blind or have visual or cognitive disabilities.

New signs have already been added to each stop on #20 Madison route. The placards will be added to these 11 routes within the next year:

• #4 Cottage Grove
• #X4 Cottage Grove Express
• #9 Ashland
• #X9 Ashland Express
• #12 Roosevelt
• #49 Western
• #X49 Western Express
• #63 63rd
• #66 Chicago
• #79 79th
• #157 Streeterville/Taylor

Project improvements include new sidewalk connections, crosswalks, and ADA improvements (ramps and detectable warnings) to provide better access to Pace Route #367 and Metra service throughout the Village.

This program provides transportation and mobility management services for persons with disabilities and older adults residing in eastern Will County townships. The current participants of the project are: Crete Township, Frankfort Township, Monee Township, Peotone Township, Washington Township, and Will Township.

RTA staff, in partnership will the City of Aurora, prepared a pedestrian access improvement plan for the Aurora Transportation Center in downtown Aurora and Route 59 Metra station. The plan includes recommendations for improved pedestrian and bicycle access, including sidewalks and paths, enhanced crosswalks, pedestrian plazas, wayfinding signage and bicycle accommodations.

RTA staff assisted the City with updating the 2009 transit service plan for the Station Boulevard Transit system as well as explored other mobility management options for possible implementation. These mobility options will connect residents of the Station Boulevard TOD area with the Route 59 Metra station, helping to increase Metra ridership and reducing vehicle miles traveled to the station. Updates to the plan include the introduction of ways to increase walking, biking and carpooling for Station Boulevard residents, in addition to a future fixed route transit service. The development of a Guaranteed Ride Home program for residents who choose a commuting mode other than driving their own car is also recommended.

This project assisted the Village with developing a TOD plan for the core downtown / Metra station area. The plan will be used as a guide for the Village as it takes steps to improve the Downtown Business District, and includes realistic and economically viable strategies that will benefit Village residents, businesses and visitors to the Village's downtown and support transit use.