Planning Programs and Projects

This project analyzed transit options and opportunities in three neighborhoods in the City of Chicago where Chicago Housing Authority properties and adjacent city and privately-owned properties are being transformed into mixed-income communities. The sites include the Oakland community on the near south side, the Lake Street corridor on the near west side, and the Cabrini-Green redevelopment area on the near north side.

The City of Elgin was awarded a Community Planning grant by the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) to develop a Transit-Oriented Development plan for the National Street Station area. The City and consultant team worked with a steering committee, which included neighborhood residents and business owners, to develop a plan for the area around the National Street Metra Station. Valuable insights about the area were obtained through community meetings and the analysis of existing conditions. Subsequent community meetings were hosted at the library to refine and confirm proposed concept plans.

The plan proposed redevelopment opportunities for properties within a 1/4 of a mile of the National Street Train Station. The plan makes recommendations for redevelopment throughout the area particularly for the Clock Tower Plaza shopping center and intersection of National Street and Route 31. In addition to redevelopment opportunities the plan identified streetscape, pedestrian, and roadway opportunities to improve access and circulation near the station. The final report is comprised of an executive summary, detailed concept plans, design guidelines, implementation strategies and appendix including existing conditions summary and market analysis. The final report identified the importance of market forces and City actions as necessary components to implement plan objectives.

Through this project, Pace created a new ridership forecasting application that utilizes customized market research and mode choice models. Using Pace's South Cook County, Southwest Cook County, and Will County Restructuring Initiatives as the market area for this project, the resulting data and models were used to identify opportunities for service improvements. This forecasting application will be used region-wide in each of Pace's service areas.

Three studies were conducted to study the feasibility, land use, and financing aspects of a new, high-quality and high-capacity transit service in southeast Cook County to provide access to downtown Chicago job opportunities and to complement local economic development efforts.

In 2000 Metra completed the South Suburban Commuter Rail Feasibility Study which examines the potential for implementing Metra commuter rail service on a new radial line to serve suburbs in southeastern Cook and northeastern Will Counties. The proposed route focuses on utilizing the jointly owned tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) and CSX Transportation (the railroad subsidiary of the multi-modal CSX Corporation) between Beecher and Dolton, with several options to connect with other lines to reach downtown Chicago. This Phase I Feasibility Study is the first step in a longer process to ascertain not only the potential demand for this proposed new service, but also how it might reach eventual implementation. The Study was a collaborative effort, sponsored by the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association (SSMMA), who provided the necessary funding. The Study is organized into four major tasks or milestones, all aimed at providing a methodological and objective means of formulating Study recommendations. The four major sections are: Existing Conditions, Potential Operations, Future Plans, and Capital Improvements.

Phase I - Land Use and Local Financing Study Study completed in 2005 with sponsorship by Village of South Holland and South Suburban Mayors & Managers Association (SSMMA)

The Phase I Study was conducted to explore key land use and financial planning considerations related to a potential commuter rail connection between Chicago's downtown Loop district and various communities southeast of the City. A primary goal of the study was to ensure that residents, businesses and organizations would have a say in how communities could support and plan for commuter rail. This included discussion about station locations, development potential in the area around stations, generation of required local matching funds for station design and construction.

Phase II - Land Use and Local Financing Study Study completed in 2007 with sponsorship by South Suburban Mayors & Managers Association (SSMMA)

The Phase II Study, examines in more detail several recommendations in the Local Finance chapter of the Phase I report. It also presents information on how the communities can begin to initiate formal intergovernmental agreements to govern creation, management and oversight of a joint funding pool to help pay for the land acquisition and construction of stations and parking facilities along Metra's proposed SouthEast Service commuter rail line.

Through this study, the Village developed transit-oriented development plans for two locations along the Metra North Central Line: Deerfield Parkway at Commerce Court and Route 22 at Prairie. This study produced transit-oriented development plans for two Metra stations on the North Central Line in the Village of Buffalo Grove: Buffalo Grove and Prairie View.

This project assessed current conditions and recommended improvements for the Elmwood Park station area located on the Metra Milwaukee District West Line. The plan identified transit supportive opportunities and addressed auto and pedestrian circulation issues.