Planning Programs and Projects

CTF Illinois has decided not to move forward with this project. Funds from this award will be reprogrammed to another subrecipient.

The operating service provided 6,077 trips in June 2021. Ridership has been affected due to COVID-19

This project was approved by the RTA Board at the September 2023 meeting.

The operating service provided 829 trips in June 2021.

This study was completed in June 2017 and Pace staff has begun to determine which of the recommendations to consider first for implementation.

In 2019 the Village of Melrose Park acquired and incorporated into it's jurisdiction the former Maywood Race Track, as recommended in the plan. In April 2019, reports confirmed that the 42-acre site will be developed into a three-building, 623,000-square-foot industrial and retail project, that will be called the Chariot Logistics Center.

In June 2019 the Chicago Plan Commission approved the redevelopment of the former Sears site at Harlem Ave, as recommended by the plan. Development plans include a five-story complex with 161 residential units, a grocery store, health club, and 462 parking spaces. At nearby 7141 W. Wabansia Avenue, a new four-story development with 152 units and 177 parking spaces is also planned.

In 2021 the Village of Melrose Park was awarded $566,000 from Cook County as part of the 2021 Invest in Cook grant program awards. The funds will be used to make roadway improvements at the intersection of IL-64 (North Avenue) and George Street. Correcting the offset intersection will improve safety for motorists and other users while also improving traffic circulation along commercial properties. Construction will involve installation of new traffic signals, relocating a shopping center entrance drive, as well as modifying sidewalks, ADA ramps, and a bike path. The 2017 Pace North Avenue Corridor Plan highlighted this intersection as needing modifications to better serve Pace riders, which this project will accomplish. The City of Northlake was also awarded funding for right-of-way for roadway improvements to Railroad Avenue, a major trucking corridor within the City. This project will bring Railroad Avenue up to modern design standards for safety and efficiency and improve the movement of trucks in the area. Improvements include adding a southbound right turn lane to improve capacity at the intersection of IL 64 (North Avenue) and Railroad Avenue, upgrading pedestrian accommodations to current ADA standards, and providing new signalized pedestrian crossings. The new signalized pedestrian crossing will improve access to the Pace 309 route.

RTA staff will continue to monitor for implementation activity of this study.

The final Corridor Plan was completed in June of 2014. Meetings were held with some local governments to assist with implementation efforts. In early 2015, the RTA applied for CMAQ funds on behalf of the Village of Chicago Ridge for pedestrian safety improvements around the Metra station as a selected project in the Access to Transit Improvement Program. CMAQ funds were awarded to this project in the fall of 2015.

In 2017 the Village of Chicago Ridge applied to and was awarded Cook County for funding to complete bus stop infrastructure improvements along Ridgeland Avenue as well as to construct a multi-use path along Ridgeland as recommended in the plan. Wayfinding signage, lighting enhancements, ADA curb cuts and median improvements have been installed along the corridor from the Chicago Ridge Metra station to 105th Street.

The Village of Palos Heights continues to make pedestrian access improvements as recommended in the study including the construction of their section of the multi-use path between Route 83 and 127th Street in 2019.

In 2021 the Village of Oak Lawn was awarded Invest in Cook funding for a 10-foot-wide off-street multi-use trail between 87th Street and 95th Street, running along the east side of Ridgeland Avenue. The trail increases connectivity between parks, neighborhoods, and businesses, benefitting the local economy and promoting healthy alternative transportation options. The City of Palos Heights was also awarded funding for the installation of sidewalks on the northeast side of Route 83/College Road and Ridgeland Avenue. This project will fill a significant sidewalk gap and connect the 26- mile Cal-Sag Trail system to the 9.4-mile Tinley Creek Trail System located in the Cook County Forest Preserve. In addition, it will safely link to the Trinity College athletic fields and the Chicago Christian High School to the City’s pedestrian and trails system. Pedestrian signals will also be installed on the north and east leg of the crossings on Route 83/College Road and Ridgeland Avenue to increase safety. The sidewalk will connect to a multi-use path on Ridgeland Avenue. Both of these projects implement the Ridgeland Avenue Corridor Plan.

Work on the project began in February 2023 with data collection and analysis, focus group meetings and community engagement activities. The project team has created preliminary concept designs for the planning area. A set of preliminary concepts were developed in the fall and were presented to the public for feedback in late winter and early spring 2024. The team is now drafting a full set of plans and recommendations for consideration and additional feedback. More project information and opportunities to engage can be found on the project website kimballcurb.org.

The Final Report was completed in December 2014. The Southwest Conference of Mayors approved the plan on March 31, 2015.

The final report was completed in November of 2018 has been shared with Pace and members of the steering committee. Rezoning work is talking place in 2021 and 2022 along the sections of Harlem Ave within Riverside and Berwyn, as recommended in the plan.