Planning Programs and Projects

The final report was approved by the City's Plan Commission in December 2012. The Implementation Task Force is currently focusing on the creation, installation and maintenance of wayfinding signs, a main recommendation of the study.

The final report was adopted by the SSMMA Board in April 2011. Phase II of this study was completed in 2012, focusing on identifying conceptual development programs for five specific sites in three communities within the study area. As a follow-up, the SSMMA received assistance from the RTA (with support from ULI) in 2013 to solicit guidance, advice and input from the development community for four sites within the SSMMA region, one of which is Oak Forest. This discussion took place on December 10, 2013 and a Summary Report of this discussion can be found below under "Related Studies".

The plan was adopted by the City Council on January 3, 2011. In June 2015, a development team submitted a proposal for the redevelopment of the Littelfuse site along Northwest Highway. The residential project will consist of 127 townhouses and a five-story apartment building with 270 units, located a half-mile from the Cumberland Metra Station. Construction began in late 2016 with townhome units being available for occupancy as soon as 2017.

The 397 unit Buckingham Townhomes and Apartments opened in 2018 to residents along Northwest Highway, within walking distance to the Cumberland station.

The final plan is complete and was approved by the Public Transit Committee of the DuPage County Board in November 2011. The RTA, partnering with DuPage County, DuPage Mayors and Mangers, and Service Boards, launched a marketing campaign to promote transit in the County. Funded primarily through a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant, the campaign intends to inform residents and employees in the county of their transit options and encourage them to ride public transportation. The campaign began in October 2014 and will continue to the end of 2015 and utilizes tactics such as billboards, online advertisements, marketing collateral (door hangers), mall displays, newspaper advertisement and community engagement.

CMAQ approved the RTA's submittal to fund 80% of the cost for local access to transit capital improvements for the Village of Glen Ellyn, as recommended in the DuPage County Transit Plan Update. The RTA has approved the local match as part of the 2014 budget. Installation of these improvements will begin in 2015.

In late 2013 the City of Aurora received CMAQ approval for the Station Blvd Extension to IL 59 Commuter Parking Lot project. This project funded Engineering and Construction for a new driveway to the IL 59 Commuter parking lot along the Metra BNSF Line, allowing for Park-n-Ride opportunities, as recommended in the DuPage County Transit Plan Update CP project. For more information please visit http://www.cmap.illinois.gov/mobility/strategic-investment/cmaq.

CTA does not have sufficient funds to meet federal local matching requirements at this time. The project cannot be implemented until local funds become available.

The Glenwood Village Board unanimously adopted the Village of Glenwood Station Area Plan in July 2010. The Board, with recommendations from the Plan Commission, preferred the northern station location while leaving the southern station location as an alternative. The plan was a culmination of a yearlong study that involved citizens, business owners, elected official, Village Staff and transit agencies.

Metra completed the Alternatives Analysis for the Southeast Service in 2010 and in 2011 then Governor Quinn signed into law House Bill 1644 which established the Southeast Commuter Rail Transit District which now has authority to acquire rights to use the freight rail line, buy land to build train stations and purchase rail cars. In 2015 Metra suspended further development of the line due to a lack of funding.

The Joliet Gateway Center transportation campus is a $43.4 million project that includes the construction of new commuter parking and kiss-and-ride facilities (completed in 2013), construction of a new bus facility, construction of a new train station, and the relocation of train passenger platforms.  The project is funded through a $32 million grant from the State of Illinois, $7.5 million in funding from the City of Joliet, $2.2 million from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, and $1.7 million from PACE.  The Gateway Center project demonstrates the continued partnership of the State, City and County, the RTA, Metra, PACE, Amtrak, Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroad, and Union Pacific Railroad.

The new Rock Island train passenger platform and temporary Heritage Corridor platform both opened in 2014, in addition to the New Street Pedestrian tunnel. The UP and BNSF are working on the rail viaduct including bridge reconstruction, rail realignment, interlocker rebuild and new signals. The City's contractors will also be coordinating work on the new tunnels to coincide with the work that will be done by the railroads to take advantage of pre-scheduled train service outages. The new train station including new platforms opened in April 2018.

A new 10 story ($195 Million) County Courthouse at southwest corner of Ottawa and Jefferson Streets in downtown Joliet is under construction and is scheduled to be completed in 2020.

The Transit Plan was adopted on June 14, 2011 by the Kane County Board.

The CMAP LTA project, titled Implementation of the Kane County 2040 Long Range Transit Plan- Transit-Supportive Corridors: Existing Conditions and Implementation Tools, was completed in 2015. Additionally, the Kane County Department of Transportation is in the design phase for the CMAQ grant to install bus shelters on the northern portion of Randall Road. Construction will likely occur in 2018.

In late 2013 Kane County DOT received CMAQ approval for the Randall Road Transit Infrastructure Improvements project. This project funds Phase 2 Engineering and Construction for bus shelters, waiting pads, crosswalk markings, pedestrian signals, ADA ramps and sidewalks along Pace Route 801, as recommended in the South Elgin Transit Improvement Plan and Kane County 2040 Long Range Transit Plan CP projects.

The RTA provided the Village with continued support through Community Planning Program with two projects: Updating the Village's TOD zoning regulations and a ULI Developer Discussion Panel. The Village of Manhattan unanimously approved the Downtown Zoning District in June 2012. As a follow-up, the RTA worked with ULI to convene panel of development experts to discuss the future of development in the TOD area in April 2013. A summary of this discussion can be found below in Study Documents.

The Village is currently focusing on improving the attractiveness of public space in the TOD area. The first project completed was a new public parking lot on Wabash between North Street and US Route 52 and the Village will soon begin preparing a layout for the area behind Village Hall to include additional public parking, landscaping and a gathering space for community events as recommended during the Developer Panel Discussion. The RTA will monitor these projects and offer assistance as needed.