RTA announces Access to Transit project awards that will improve bicycle and pedestrian access near transit throughout…

The RTA is announcing five Access to Transit projects after receiving funding last month from the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program. Access to Transit provides funding to municipalities to complete engineering and construction for small-scale capital improvements, such as filling sidewalk gaps and installing covered bicycle parking, that improve pedestrian and bicycle connections to transit. This group of projects was the sixth group accepted to the Access to Transit program, which has funded 46 projects since the program began.

In total, nine projects were selected from the 2022 call, four of which were announced last year and will fund Phase I Engineering in Ford Heights, Harvard, Harvey, and Maywood. Phase I Engineering is frequently a challenge for communities of high need, so the RTA will fund 100 percent of the engineering costs, estimated at $208,000 total. The remaining five awards, below, will fund Phase II Engineering and Construction in the following communities.

Bellwood

The RTA has awarded $150,999 to the Village of Bellwood to remove and replace curb ramps and blended sidewalk areas to comply with ADA standards in 21 locations. Locations selected focus on those areas traveled by residents to access the Bellwood Metra station and Pace bus stops within the Village. The project will use $120,799 in CMAQ funding and $30,200 in RTA funds.

Berkeley

The RTA has awarded $1 million in construction funding to the Village of Berkeley for a sidewalk network to provide access from residential neighborhoods south of St. Charles Road to Pace Bus Route 313. Phase II Engineering is being provided through Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways via the Invest in Cook program. The project will use $800,000 in CMAQ funding, $100,000 in RTA funding, and $100,000 in local match funds.

Cary

The RTA has awarded $585,512 in construction funding to the Village of Cary to develop the Depot Plaza in downtown Cary as a Mobility Hub, as envisioned in the Cary Downtown Strategic Plan. Improvements include an open-air plaza with artificial turf; shelter for bicyclists, pedestrians, and those waiting for connecting services such as the MCRide bus service, ride sharing, taxis, and outbound Metra service; modifications to the sidewalk to increase walkability and improve pedestrian safety; built-in planters to add color and character, and new benches. The project will use $468,410 in CMAQ funding, $58,551 from RTA funds, and $58,551 in local match funds.

Harvard

The RTA has awarded $360,000 in Phase II engineering and construction funding to the City of Harvard for pedestrian access improvements along Marengo Road and Ayer Street. This project will provide new sidewalks, ADA crosswalks, and a Pace Bus shelter to better connect residents to the Harvard Metra Station and the 808 Pace Bus. The project will use $288,000 in CMAQ funding and $72,000 in RTA funds.

Plainfield

The RTA has awarded the Village of Plainfield $921,790 in Phase II engineering, ROW (Right of Way), and construction funds to construct a 0.6-mile extension of a 10' wide shared-use path along the south side of 143rd Street from Van Dyke Road to Wallin Drive, improving pedestrian and bicycle access to and from the Plainfield Park-n-Ride, which provides express Pace bus service to Chicago via routes 755 and 855. Wayfinding signage to the Plainfield Park-n-Ride and downtown Plainfield will also be implemented along the route. The project will use $737,432 in CMAQ funding, $92,179 in RTA funds, and $92,179 in local match funds.

Learn more about past Access to Transit projects on RTAMS, the RTA’s mapping and statistics website.