Beginning the Discussion on the Regional Transit Strategic Plan: Research Summary and Stakeholder Meeting Guide Plan…

The RTA and Service Boards led a Stakeholder Workshop this week to present research findings tied to the Regional Transit Strategic Plan.

The RTA kicked off the planning process to prepare the 2018-2023 Regional Transit Strategic Plan (the Strategic Plan) with a workshop in March with the RTA Board. The Strategic Plan development process continues this spring with release of Beginning the Discussion, a summary of challenges and opportunities facing the region’s transit system. The work is based on staff-led research conducted last year, presented in the form of nine key “Headlines”:

The Region is Built on Transit
The Region’s Investment is at Risk
Many People Ride Transit…but Many Don’t
Great Transit Access Serves a Strong Chicago Central Business District
Growing Markets in Suburban Cook County Could Benefit Transit
More Jobs and New Connections are Needed on the South Side and South Suburbs
More Capacity is Needed on Chicago’s North Side
Large Suburban Job Clusters are Difficult to Serve by Traditional Transit
Millennials and Boomers Push Transit to Adapt

The research findings are presented alongside practical questions that agencies, stakeholders and the region will take into consideration as they identify ways to best support the transit system and its riders over the five year timeframe of the plan.

Earlier this week, the RTA and Service Boards led a Stakeholder Workshop in order to present these findings to other agencies and discuss potential actions. Participants provided ideas for pursuing additional funding for the transit system, engaging the business community in transit solutions, improving connections to buses and trains, and encouraging more people to ride transit.

Staff will continue to work with stakeholders over the coming months to develop goals and chart a course of action. A draft plan will be complete for public review by this fall. The final plan will be presented to the RTA Board for adoption in early 2018. Follow this blog and visit the Regional Transit Strategic Plan Website for ongoing updates.