Planning Programs and Projects

Construction began in summer of 2018 and is now complete. Improvements include a more accessible and pedestrian friendly Metra and Pace service area for their users, potentially leading to an increase in ridership. 2018 weekday boardings increased 16% over 2016 according to Metra Boarding and Alighting Counts. Additionally, Beautification of the existing Railroad Avenue from York Road to Center Street has enhanced the pedestrian friendly nature of the Bensenville downtown area.

The Village Board adopted the plan in spring 2012 and were directed to pursue six key issues identified by the plan. In 2014 the RTA assisted the Village with one of of these issues, a TOD zoning code update. An overlay district was drafted and the Village Staff continue to work with the Board on revisions acceptable for adoption.

A new three-story mixed use building at 1312-1318 Shermer Road in the downtown area was constructed in 2017. The building includes 10 apartment units on the second and third floors and 2,400 square feet of commercial space on the first floor with enclosed parking located behind the commercial space.

In May 2017, a 68 unit townhome development was approved for the south side of Shermer Road, east of downtown Northbrook. This was identified in the TOD plan as an opportunity area for redevelopment. The first phase of the project was complete in 2020 and phase 2 is expected to commence soon.

In December 2022, the Village was awarded funding through the Invest in Cook program for design engineering of a 1.5 mile-long shared-use sidepath on Shermer Road between Walters Avenue and Willow Road. This project will make bicycle and pedestrian travel safer for residents traveling to downtown Northbrook, the Northbrook Metra Station, and Glenbrook North High School, as well as link to the Skokie Valley Trail to facilitate regional travel. The project implements recommendations from the Plan to establish bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure that connects Willow Road and downtown Northbrook.

This study was completed in September 2002. In 2009 the RTA funded an update to this study; please visit https://rtams.org/projects/planning/2745 for more information.

The City is taking steps to identify the best timing to start implementing the additional modes recommended in the plan and hopes to begin implementation as soon as possible. The RTA will continue to monitor any implementation activity. A final report will be posted to this page as soon as it is available.

This panel convened in September 2012 and a summary of this discussion can be found to the right under Related Reports. The RTA is monitoring progress and will offer assistance with implementation as needed.

Work on the project began in May of 2021 and was completed in April of 2023. CDOT is now working to identify funding sources and a strategy to implement the plan recommendations. The RTA will continue to monitor for implementation activity. The plan can be found under Related Reports.

The project was completed in fall of 2017. Improvements are making transit more accessible to cyclists, potentially increasing ridership along the Union Pacific Northwest Line. These improvements have also increased bicycle access to Pace Routes 234 (which has a shelter at Northwest Highway and Emerson) and 694 (stops at Prospect Avenue and Main Street).