Planning Programs and Projects

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.

The RTA assisted the Village of University Park to update its TOD plan that was completed in 2002 for the University Park Metra station. The revised study included an analysis of surrounding land uses and zoning codes, local road safety improvements and a last mile mobility strategy.

The MCRide program provides coordinated dial-a-ride service to individuals with disabilities and individuals 60 years or older.  Service is provided countywide. This is an existing Section 5310 project.   New to this application, and included in the recommended award, is capital funding to develop a trip scheduling and payment app for riders, eliminating the need to call the Pace call center or pay in cash.

This project will construct pedestrian access improvements for southern access to the Midlothian Metra station. Improvements include installing a high capacity sidewalk along the northwest side of the Rock Island District (RID) right-of-way, between 147th Street and Pulaski Road that will link pedestrians throughout the Village to the existing commuter station. The existing pedestrian bridge over Midlothian Creek will also be made accessible with the construction of an ADA ramp. At Pulaski a new pedestrian crosswalk and pedestrian signals will be installed to link the new sidewalk with residential areas west of Pulaski. Additional supporting items include some striping, lighting and fencing.

The RTA is assisting the City of Berwyn to make transit-supportive amendments to the zoning regulations along the Harlem Avenue corridor from Roosevelt Road to Pershing Road. The result will include code revisions that foster a pedestrian-friendly development style along the corridor, preparing it for future Pace Pulse service. Revising the code along Harlem Avenue is a recommendation for the City in the Central Harlem Avenue Corridor Study.

The RTA is assisting the Village of Maywood to amend the Village’s Zoning Code in the downtown area as recommended in the Maywood TOD Plan Update, completed through the RTA’s Community Planning program in 2020. Code updates will foster the type of development envisioned in the plan, address current parking in downtown Maywood, and respond to the historic nature of the area. The project’s focus area includes Lake Street and 5th Avenue.

The RTA partnered with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) to convene a half-day discussion panel of development experts to provide guidance and advice to Village staff. The panel discussed the development climate and potential strategies to prepare for, and attract development to, Village-owned parcels near the Congress Park Metra station.

The RTA is assisting the Village with updating the zoning code in the southeast portion of the Village, from South Claire Boulevard to the Robbins Metra station. Code updates will allow the Village to realize the type of development envisioned in the Robbins TOD and Industrial Areas Plan, completed with support from the RTA and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.

The RTA is providing technical assistance to Chicago's Department of Planning and Development (DPD) and the Albany Park community to pinpoint new and expanded pedestrian and shared space amenities along Kimball and Lawrence Avenues as well as introduce new micro-mobility infrastructure and device parking to advance first and last mile connectivity near the Kimball Brown Line station. New public amenities recommended in the plan could include specific locations for sheltered seating for transit passengers and customers of street merchants, e-scooter and e-bike designated parking areas, wall murals along the exterior of the Kimball CTA station, a plaza area near the Kimball station, and dedicated bus priority zones for transfer stops of CTA bus routes 81 and 82. The RTA and DPD will work alongside the North River Commission, the CTA and others in Albany Park to finalize short-term, tactical recommendations.

The RTA is assisting the Village of Sauk Village to prepare a corridor study focused on segments of Sauk Trail (from Cottage Grove to Torrence Avenue) and Torrence Avenue (from Sauk Trail to US 30). The goals of the study include developing strategies to: improve pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and access to transit services, attract investment and development, and reduce motor vehicle speeding and crashes.