Planning Programs and Projects

RTA, ULI, and Village of Brookfield staff facilitated the developer panel discussion on Thursday, December 16, 2021. Four developer panelists were in attendance. The report of recommendations was published in March 2022 and is available under "Related Reports." 

The panel was held in August 2018 with members of the Village of Brookfield, ULI Chicago and the RTA in attendance. The Village continues to experience incremental growth near the Brookfield station in the form of new apartment development.

A summary report can be found to the right in Related Reports.

In 2011, a CMAP-led Value Capture study looked at potential funding mechanisms and innovative financing techniques to identify ways for the Village to fund the parking deck recommended in the TOD plan. The Executive Summary of this study can be found here.

The Village of Wilmette was chosen as part of the 2011 RTA Community Program of Projects to update their Village Center Parking Regulations. This project began in the 4th Quarter of 2011 and the new TOD parking regulations took effect April 1, 2014.  
In September of 2014 the Village announced the sale of a property at 611 Green Bay Road to a developer. A five-story mixed-use project that includes 75 apartments is opening in summer of 2017.

In May of 2018 Wilmette was awarded grant funding from the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) to improve pedestrian infrastructure in its downtown according to plan recommendations. In addition to aesthetic improvements, such as landscaping and decorative paving, there are a number of pedestrian safety improvements like curb bumpouts and speed tables, as well as bike parking throughout the downtown.

In November of 2020 the Village of Wilmette gave final approval to a developer to construct a mixed-use building across from the Metra station at 1210 Central Avenue. There will be 109 apartments, ground floor commercial space, and 173 car parking spaces.

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.

The services provided 2,326 trips in October 2017. This project is complete.

The final TOD Plan was adopted by the Village Board on November 14, 2016 and the Village is assessing initial implementation steps it could take. In September 2018, 'Stone Garden' Single Family Homes completed construction near the Palatine Metra Station.

In 2022 the Village was awarded right-of-way funding for Palatine Road improvements from Smith Street through Quentin Road identified in the plan. These improvements will include the reconstruction of Palatine Road, bike lane improvements, and associated sidewalk and pedestrian enhancements. These improvements will not only further solidify this section of Palatine Road as a western gateway into Downtown, but also greatly enhance the pedestrian and bicycle connectivity to Downtown Palatine.

A new station was rebuilt between 2002-2005 at the Oak Park Avenue stop on the Rock Island Line that includes a café and a clock tower with 360° views of the station area. Additionally, a new station at the 80th Avenue stop opened in the Spring of 2012.

The Village was selected for inclusion in the 2014 Community Planning Program of Projects for a Developer / Financial Advisory Panel. The Panel convened on October 14th, 2014 and a summary report of the discussion can be found below under "Related Studies".

Among the short-term goals is to expand Zabrocki Plaza, immediately east of the Oak Park Avenue Metra station, to increase space for activities that draw people into the downtown, and at the same time to showcase the downtown's amenities to people from outside Tinley Park. Because any expansion would impact parking spaces in the Metra lot, the village would have to make up for those lost spaces elsewhere near the station, and discussions with Metra about that have been ongoing.

'The Boulevard' - a mixed use project consisting of 165 units and 29,853 sq. ft of commercial space at South St and 67th Ave, was approved for construction in September 2018 and completed in 2021.

The Village of Tinley Park recently announced it is partnering with a developer that has acquired the final parcel of property needed to move forward with construction of Harmony Square, a new multi-use plaza that will be located at the corner of Oak Park Avenue and North Street in Downtown Tinley.

The Village also secured funding for a new traffic light at 80th Avenue and Timber Drive to help control traffic in the Metra station area.