Planning Programs and Projects

This study (completed in 2005) addressed a proposed station at Laraway Road along the Southwest Service expansion. This expansion project, which included 11 miles of new track, was completed in January 2006, including the Laraway Road station (opened October 9, 2006). As part of the 2013 RTA Community Planning Program of Projects, the RTA worked with ULI to convene a panel of development experts to provide guidance and advice to the Village as they try to attract development to the 240-acre vacant area near the Laraway Road Metra Station. This discussion took place on October 25, 2013 and the Summary Report can be found in Related Studies. 

On March 17, 2005, representatives from the RTA, CTA, Metra and Pace, along with their consultants from Booz Allen Hamilton, made a presentation to the Illinois House Committee on Mass Transit regarding options for implementing a Universal Fare Card in the Chicago region. Due to the limited availability of funding for new capital and operating expenditures, a Universal Fare Card is not being implemented at this time.

The Village has seen major redevelopment and build-up of their downtown over the past 10-12 years with a mix of national chains and local businesses, along with condo and townhome development. 

In late 2010, Metra completed a project to upgrade and replace the platforms at the Stone Avenue Metra station and the Village renovated the interior and exterior of the historic Stone Avenue Station in partnership with Metra, BNSF Railway and the West Suburban Mass Transit District. This renovation enhances the station structure, outbound platform shelter and the grounds as an outdoor public gathering space. Additionally, the Village reconstructed the Brainard Avenue commuter parking lot with a permeable green paver integrated drainage system. 

In 2012, the RTA provided assistance to the Village through a collaborative effort with CMAP, ICC, BNSF, Metra and ATA to complete a pedestrian access improvement study at the Stone Avenue Station. The full Access Improvements report can be found below in the Related Studies section. 

In 2013 the RTA applied for CMAQ funding on behalf of the Village for these access improvements. CMAP approved the RTA's CMAQ submittal and the construction of these improvements will began in 2016. 

In August 2017 at 254 unit apartment building opened near the intersection of Ogden Avenue and LaGrange Road, a five minute walk to the LaGrange Road Metra station.]

The RTA is currently working with the Village of La Grange to update their Comprehensive and TOD Plans.

This project was initiated in March of 2005 and is now complete. The Niles Village Board approved the Milwaukee Avenue Plan on January 24, 2006.

The Village of Niles continues to implement the BOD Plan recommendations to improve transit-oriented development and increase access to transit. Since 2008, the Village has installed paver crosswalks, decorative fencing, new traffic signal poles with arms, street furniture, sidewalks, pedestrian light poles, and street trees along Milwaukee Avenue. These improvements foster pedestrian and transit environments while spurring community and economic development.

Through the CMAP Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program, a Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan was completed, and adopted by the Village in March 2014. This plan identifies steps the Village can pursue to further develop the pedestrian and bicycle networks throughout the Village.

Pace continues to advance Transit Signal Priority (TSP) and Arterial Rapid Transit (ART) along the corridor. Through an RTA Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement (ICE) project, Pace will test the integration of transit signal priority technology that will allow CTA and Pace buses to interact with multiple types of traffic signal systems located on the same arterial.

Pace received a CMAQ grant in 2014 to fund the following components of Milwaukee Avenue ART from Jefferson Park to Golf Mill: Phase 1 Engineering, stations, real time information, ART vehicles, and queue jump lanes (where appropriate), which are elements of the Pace TSP Planning for the Milwaukee Avenue Arterial Rapid Transit. Pace held public open houses for its Milwaukee Avenue ART service in 2015 to solicit feedback.

Milwaukee Avenue was the first Pace ART line - now titled Pace Pulse - to be implemented. Construction on shelters and other supporting infrastructure began in the summer of 2017 and the line fully launched in August if 2019. For more information visit the Pace website.

In 2010, Pace funded a Transit Signal Priority Project for the Harvey Transportation Center. Testing of the full deployment of TSP was completed in August 2010. Twenty signalized intersections along 158th, Sibley Boulevard, Halsted and Park Avenue were deployed in Phase I, and in Phase II 10 signalized intersections were deployed along Halsted Street. This project helped to improve circulation and movement within the downtown area, as recommended in the plan.

Specific service coordination improvements are being developed through the RTA's Community Planning and Sub-Regional Planning Programs and are being implemented through the RTA's Innovation, Coordination & Enhancement (ICE) Program.

In addition to identifying major travel patterns and markets that could support a line extension, the study also evaluated three potential new station locations in south Evanston at Dodge Avenue, Asbury Avenue and Ridge Avenue. In May 2011, Evanston began a feasibility study for an infill station on the Yellow Line. On January 25, 2011, a city advisory group identified Asbury as the recommended new stop location. The Evanston City Council accepted the advisory group's report but funding has not yet been identified for the station's construction.

Park Forest received a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (ILDCEO) for a Phase II study in summer of 2010 to explore development and financial incentives to realize recommendations in the RTA-funded study. A Steering Committee consisting of representatives from Pace, Metra, RTA and Park Forest, Olympia Fields and Matteson finalized the Phase II study in the Fall of 2012 and all three communities are now focusing on implementing the recommendations.

In June 2013 the RTA coordinated with ULI to convene a developer panel to provide guidance and advice to the Village as they work to attract TOD investment near the 211th Street Metra Station. A summary of this discussion can be found in the Related Reports. Additionally, the Village was chosen as part of the 2014 Community Planning Program to complete a pedestrian access plan around the 211th Street Metra Station, which was completed in 2015.

The study was completed in December 2005. In November 2012 the Village met with a panel of development experts to solicit guidance and advice on ways to capitalize on redevelopment opportunities in the TOD study area. A summary of this discussion can be found under Related Reports.

Earlier in 2012 the Village was awarded a $400,000 US EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant to conduct 20 Phase I assessments and 12 Phase II assessments throughout the Village, mostly in the TOD area. The Village has also spent considerable effort in preparing for a Letter of Map Revision for the flood plain in the west side of the Village Center with technical assistance and support from CMAP. Assessing the clean-up and flooding issues in the TOD area will allow the Village to pursue and attract realistic development opportunities.

In early 2015 the RTA applied for and was awarded CMAQ funding on behalf of the Village to improve sidewalks and pedestrian access along 147th and near the Metra station. These improvements were constructed in 2018.

In 2016 the Village partnered with CMAP through their Local Technical Assistance program to envision potential pedestrian and stormwater management improvements at key points along 147th Street between Cicero Avenue and Kedzie Avenue. This project included a Complete Streets on-site demonstration event to show the types of potential improvements, cost estimates for improvements and funding sources to implement recommended improvements along 147th.

In early 2019 the RTA applied for and was awarded CMAQ funding a second time on behalf of the Village to construct pedestrian access improvements for southern access to the Midlothian Metra station.