Planning Programs and Projects

This page allows users to search for projects from the RTA’s Planning Programs. Users can search for projects by name or keyword from the Search bar or the Filter pulldown menus. 

Table results display summary information about each project. To view more details for a project, select the + icon to expand the view for additional information.

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This search filters based on details within the Planning Project. The search box below allows users to search by Planning Project name.

Year Project Title Program Project Type Project Partner Budget Funding Source(s) Status Sort ascending
+ Will County Mobility Management Program '15 Section 5310 / JARC / NF Operating Will County $338,000
  • Local
  • Federal
Completed

Project Details

Related Reports

Not Available

Description

This program provides transportation and mobility management services for persons with disabilities and older adults residing in eastern Will County townships. The program is an outgrowth of the county's coordinated paratransit plan funded through the RTA's former sub-regional Planning program

Current Activities

The operating service provided 239 Section 5310 trips in March 2019. This project is complete.

Funding Amounts by Source
Source Amount
Local $139,000
Federal $199,000

Last Updated 11.19.2023

+ McHenry County Services Restructuring Study Community Planning Transit Improvement Plan McHenry County $149,996
  • RTA
  • Local
Completed

Project Details

Description
This project evaluated and recommended improvements to bus service in McHenry County as part of the County Long-Range Transportation Planning efforts. Through this study, services were examined and effective strategies and improved coordination opportunities were identified. Short term and long term service options were recommended.
Current Activities
This project is complete and implementation activities are underway. Pace has implemented the fixed route service recommendations. These recommendations include: 1. A restructure of Route 806 to service Route 31 and the heavily utilized activity generators such as big box retail stores, a senior center, and a social service center serving families. 2. A restructure of Route 807 to discontinue the loop around Wonder Lake (resulting in a 20 minute travel time reduction) and simplify routing in downtown McHenry. And, 3. A restructure of Route 808 to discontinue deviations.

These resulting improvements have allowed ridership to remain steady, while providing cost savings to Pace. Ridership on the County¿s MC Ride service continues to grow in both service area (added Village of Lakewood and Nunda Township) and ridership (reaching 90,000 trips). Additionally, Pace is investigating a fixed bus route on the north portion on Randall Road, as recommended in the plan.
Funding Amounts by Source
Source Amount
RTA $119,997
Local $29,999

Last Updated 01.04.2017

+ Bartlett Downtown / TOD Plan Community Planning Transit-Oriented Development Plan Bartlett $124,925
  • Local
  • Federal
Completed

Project Details

Description

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.

Current Activities

The Village Board of Trustees adopted the plan on October 18, 2016 and the Village is has identified initial steps to take to implement the plan. A mixed-use project "Balance Family Chiropractic" consisting of 6,152 sq. ft of office space and 2 residential units was constructed in June 2018. In October 2019 the Village Board approved the site plan to put a brewery and restaurant at the southeast corner of Railroad and South Oak Avenues. The approval included ordinance variations to the site plan include an elimination of the required off-street parking spaces in favor of shared parking spaces already in downtown Bartlett, as recommended in the TOD Plan.

The RTA continued to support the Village with implementing the plan for downtown Bartlett through assistance to update the Village Zoning Code, adding a mixed-use TOD Overlay district for the downtown area.

In July 2021 the Village Board approved the development of the Residences at Bartlett Station, a 104 unit apartment building located just east of the Metra station at the SW corner of Railroad Avenue and Berteau.

In December 2022, the Village awarded grants from the Bartlett Economic Assistance Program to three area businesses (MORE Brewing, L P'tit Resto Bar Tapas, and Pasta Mia) for building enhancements to facilitate redevelopment of the station area. These projects implement recommendations from the Plan.

Furthermore, a 19,432-square-foot Aldi -- to be Bartlett's second nonspecialized grocery store -- is under construction at the Streets of Bartlett shopping center downtown for a late 2023 or early 2024 opening.

Funding Amounts by Source
Source Amount
Local $24,985
Federal $99,940

Last Updated 11.09.2023

+ Will County Coordinated Paratransit Study Community Planning Transit Improvement Plan Will County $99,995
  • RTA
  • Local
Completed

Project Details

Description
This study created a coordinated paratransit plan for the County. This included an inventory of existing paratransit services, a gap analysis based on the inventory, and identified strategies to begin the development of an action plan to implement a pilot program of a coordinated paratransit initiative.
Current Activities
The final plan was adopted by the Will County Board of Directors in November 2010 and the RTA worked with the County to implement the recommendations, including forming a Coordinated Paratransit Committee and identifying funding opportunities for a Mobility Manager.

In November 2011, the RTA Board approved funding through the Job Access Reverse Commute/New Freedom (JARC/NF) program for the Will County Mobility Management Program . This program will provide transportation and mobility management services for persons with disabilities, the elderly and low-income individuals residing in eastern Will County townships.
Funding Amounts by Source
Source Amount
RTA $79,996
Local $19,999

Last Updated 12.15.2016

+ - McHenry County Service Integration & Coordination '18-19 Section 5310 / JARC / NF Operating McHenry County $2,400,000
  • Local
  • Federal
Completed

Project Details

Related Reports

Not Available

Description

The McRide program provides coordinated dial-a-ride service to individuals with disabilities and individuals 60 years or older.  The RTA Board approved funding for this project on August 22, 2019.

Current Activities

The operating service provided  3,385 trips in January 2021..

This project is complete.

Funding Amounts by Source
Source Amount
Local $1,200,000
Federal $1,200,000

Last Updated 11.24.2023

+ Oak Park Intermodal Station Area Plan Community Planning Transit-Oriented Development Plan Oak Park $241,518
  • Local
  • Federal
Completed

Project Details

Description
This study examined ways to increase usage of the station, increase access to the station by alternative modes of transportation, enhance transfers between modes at the station, and integrate with development plans.
Current Activities

This project was completed in May 2005. In late November 2011, it was announced that the West Cook County Housing Collaborative received a nearly $3 million grant for its transit-oriented development strategy to update comprehensive plans and to create a sustainable transit-oriented development fund for the communities of Bellwood, Berwyn, Forest Park, Maywood and Oak Park. The communities are completed Comprehensive Plans that include recommendations for priority redevelopment parcels in each community's TOD area. 

Many development projects have been completed in the Village's TOD areas. Construction was completed on a 21-story mixed-use building at Lake Street and Forest Avenue, called Vantage Oak Park, in summer of 2016 with the first units occupied in July. The development includes 270 rental apartments, 25,000SF of ground-level retail and an integrated parking garage with 288 residential spaces and 300 public spaces. Another mixed-use residential, retail and parking project, called Oak Park Station, opened in late 2017 on the Village-owned Westgate site between Lake Street and North Boulevard just east of Harlem Avenue. Oak Park Station features a 20-story tower and five-story building that include 270 rental apartments, 28,000 square feet of retail and a five-story parking garage with 428 spaces for residential, retail, and public use. Additionally, a new transit-oriented development on the southeast corner of South Boulevard and Harlem Avenue was completed in 2019. The building, known as Eleven 33, is a mixed-use structure consisting of approximately 263 rental apartments, 10,000 square feet of retail and a 400 space parking garage. These new developments encourage increased ridership on all available transit services in the downtown area by adding a significant number of residential units within walking distance of CTA, Metra and Pace service. 

The Village is also planning an extension of the Marion Street streetscape improvements west on South Boulevard to Harlem Avenue to enhance pedestrian and bicycle mobility and access to surrounding transit service. These improvements would include wider sidewalks, shorter intersection crosswalk distances improved lighting and public seating. The project is partially funded through the Transportation, Community and System Preservation Program (TCSP).

Funding Amounts by Source
Source Amount
Local $181,518
Federal $60,000

Last Updated 02.14.2024

+ New Lenox Station Area Plan Community Planning Transit-Oriented Development Plan New Lenox $121,629
  • Local
  • Federal
Completed

Project Details

Description
This project created a concept plan for a mixed-use development located at the proposed new Metra commuter station on the SouthWest Line extension. The 240- acre site located at Laraway and Cedar Roads is currently vacant. The village's goal is to create a transit-supportive development.
Current Activities

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

Funding Amounts by Source
Source Amount
Local $24,326
Federal $97,303

Last Updated 02.15.2024

+ Ride Lake County West '11 Section 5310 / JARC / NF Operating Lake County $1,000,000
  • Local
  • Federal
Completed

Project Details

Related Reports

Not Available

Description
This dial-a-ride service will operate weekdays in Antioch, Avon, Grant, and Lake Villa townships. A portion of the service will be a flexible route connecting three Metra stations on the NCS Line and Milwaukee District - North Line with residential areas to offer greater access to employment opportunities primarily for individuals with limited mobility and other transit dependent populations. The service expanded its boundaries in December 2012 to include Waconda and Fremont Townships. Lake County implemented the service January 11, 2010.
Current Activities
The service provided 447 trips in June 2018. This project is complete.
Funding Amounts by Source
Source Amount
Local $500,000
Federal $500,000

Last Updated 06.13.2019

+ Orland Park LaGrange Road Transit Improvement Plan Community Planning Transit Improvement Plan Orland Park $99,855
  • Local
  • Federal
Completed

Project Details

Description
This project identified transit and pedestrian friendly improvements for development/redevelopment along the heavily used LaGrange Road Corridor. The study area consisted of LaGrange Road from 131st Street to Interstate 80.
Current Activities
This plan was completed in April 2010. A $106 million IDOT project that was launched in the summer of 2011 includes widening LaGrange Road to three lanes in each direction from 131st to 179th streets. Construction also included brick paver crosswalks in key locations, (the first-ever brick paver crosswalk crossing a Federal/State roadway in the State), along with new sidewalks, landscaping and extensive ornate aesthetic enhancements to enhance pedestrian access and safety to the Metra station.
Funding Amounts by Source
Source Amount
Local $19,971
Federal $79,884

Last Updated 06.13.2017

+ Park Forest TOD Pedestrian Access Plan Community Planning Pedestrian Access to Transit Park Forest $0
  • RTA
Completed

Project Details

Description
The RTA worked with Village staff and appropriate agencies to develop a pedestrian access plan for the Park Forest section of the 211th Street Metra Station.
Current Activities
The final plan was completed in June 2015.
Funding Amounts by Source
Source Amount
RTA $0

Last Updated 09.04.2018