Planning Programs and Projects

The RTA is assisting Pace to prepare a corridor study examining South Halsted St. between the Pace/Metra Harvey Transportation Center and the Pace Chicago Heights Terminal. Goals of the study are to increase transportation resilience, encourage transit-oriented development (TOD), and improve pedestrian accessibility, sidewalks, crosswalks, access to developments, and connectivity. The study will include coordination with Harvey, South Holland, East Hazel Crest, Homewood, Glenwood, and Chicago Heights.  The study will also offer strategies to prepare the corridor for Pace Pulse service and will identify future high frequency service station locations.

The RTA assisted the Village of Richton Park to update to the Village’s 2004 transit-oriented development plan (TOD), encompassing the 1/2 mile area surrounding the Richton Park Metra station. The goals for the project were to update, consolidate, and refresh the 2004 plan with new recommendations, imagery, and graphics. The plan included a modernized strategy to offer more housing options and create a new public open space near the Metra station. The updated plan focuses on ways to retain existing character, celebrate the Village’s history, and create an appealing Town Center for the community.

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.

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 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 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 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 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 convened a Developer Discussion Panel to assist the Village's efforts to attract transit- oriented development (TOD) at a vacant ~6-acre site located directly adjacent to the Metra Electric Ashland Avenue station. The Village will benefit from developer expertise on how to attract and consider development proposals that optimize the neighboring transit asset and align with local and regional goals.

The RTA is assisting the City of Chicago with an initiative to provide transformative changes along the 79th Street commercial corridor within the Auburn Gresham community areas. A plan will be developed to serve as a guide for future housing, retail and transportation investments in the community.