Planning Programs and Projects

The RTA is assisting the CTA with developing a strategy for bus route enhancements that will address slow zones along CTA Bus Route #8 - Halsted Street. The strategies are being developed in coordination with other transportation analyses along the corridors. The improvements will work to speed bus operations in persistent congested areas and accommodate expected growth in the North Branch area with improved transit service.

Little City continues to provide transportation to seniors and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who are enrolled with Little City to places of employment, community-based programs, Special Olympics regional competitions, and medical appointments. 

The Ride in Kane project coordinates dial-a-ride services in Kane County into a centralized system that optimizes transportation resources for older adults and persons with disabilities.  The sponsors of this project include multiple private non-profit organizations and local units of government.  The award includes funding to support 1.5 positions at the County to lead mobility management efforts for Ride in Kane.

This project included the installation of a five foot wide sidewalk along the south side of US30 / Lincoln Highway in the Village of Park Forest from Orchard Drive east to the Village limits at Rockwell Street, and then south along an undeveloped right-of-way to connect to an existing sidewalk in a residential neighborhood on Farragut Street. This is a segment of 2,425 linear feet and is the final segment of a greater project to build needed sidewalk connections along US30 from the eastern Village limits to the 211th Street Metra station.

This project will construct sidewalk infill along Golf Road and Milwaukee Avenue in Niles, near the Golf Mill Shopping center, a major transfer center for Pace. Both Golf Road and Milwaukee Avenue are principal arterials currently without complete sidewalks and the new sidewalk will vary in width between 5 and 7 feet. The section of Golf Road will complete sidewalks from Milwaukee Avenue going east and will comprise nearly 4,000 linear feet in new sidewalk. The Milwaukee Avenue sidewalk improvements will be from Golf Road going southwest and will comprise nearly 2,400 feet of sidewalk infill. A new crosswalk with pedestrian signal and push button will be also installed across Milwaukee Avenue at the Golf Mill main entrance.

This project will include the construction of approximately 2,050 linear feet of new and improved sidewalks, two new pedestrian crosswalks, and a covered bike shelter at the Ashland Metra Station.

The RTA assisted the Village with updating the zoning code for its Village Center TOD area in an effort to enable the type of development envisioned in its TOD Plan. A new Village Center designation was created with modernized parking requirements, allowable number of dwelling units per acre, allowable land uses, and revisions to the development review process.

This project continues to operate as part of the Ride DuPage program.  Older adults are afforded increased employment opportunities by providing them with transportation to jobs outside of their own town and at times that may extend beyond traditional work hours.  Seven local governments sponsor the service.  

The Transportation to Work Program provides demand-responsive transportation to and from work for persons with disabilities.  The project operates 24 hours per day, 365 days per year and serves all of DuPage County.

The RTA convened a Developer Discussion Panel in Chicago's 45th Ward to gather guidance and advice from development experts. The objective was to attract development to vacant sites and encourage infill development. The Developer Discussion Panelist helped the Ward Alderman and the City determine goals and needs in order to best utilize vacant land along North Milwaukee Avenue near the Jefferson Park Transportation Center.