The RTA Access to Transit program helps communities improve the infrastructure around their transit stations and stops, making connections for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders safer, more accessible, and more attractive. Since 2012, Access to Transit has funded 46 projects around the Chicago region for more than $25.5 million in total investment.
Read the latest success stories in the 2023 Implementation Report.
| Applicant | County | Project Type | Project Description |
| CTA | Cook | Phase II and Construction - Pedestrian Access Improvements | The CTA is seeking Phase II engineering and construction funding for the Halsted and 79th Street Bus Turnaround project. The goals of the project are to improve the bus turnaround located at 79th Street and Halsted Street with ADA compliance at the platform island, and to improve access to and from the site. The project will construct all improvements required to provide a continuously accessible path from the existing sidewalk to the island platform, including ADA ramps at the island platforms and curb ramps at the bus driveway. Additional improvements for the visually impaired are also included. The bus turnaround directly serves the #8 Halsted bus, the #8A South Halsted bus, and is adjacent to the 79th Street bus route. |
| Ford Heights | Cook | Phase II and Construction - Pedestrian Access Improvements | The Village of Ford Heights is seeking Phase II engineering and construction funding for the design and construction of 7,000 linear feet of sidewalk and 10 ADA compliant intersection curb ramps, detectable warnings, and landing pads. The road segments to be improved include: 11th Street from Ellis Ave to Berkeley Avenue and from Lexington Avenue to Woodlawn Avenue, 12th Street from Ellis Avenue to Woodlawn Avenue, 13th Street from Ellis Avenue to Woodlawn Avenue, Berkeley Avenue from 13th Street to Lincoln Highway in the Village of Ford Heights. These improvements will serve residents with accessing Pace bus route 357. This project previously recieved Phase I engineering funding from the Access to Transit program. |
| Harvard (Rte 173) | McHenry | Phase II and Construction - Pedestrian Access Improvements | Harvard seeks to complete a Phase II engineering and construction for pedestrian access improvements along Ill Rte. 173 between Marengo Road and US Route 14. This project will construct new sidewalks, ADA improvements, and pedestrian access over Mokeler Creek to better connect residents to the Harvard Metra Station and Pace bus route 808. |
| Harvey | Cook | Phase I - Pedestrian Access Improvements | The City of Harvey is seeking Phase I engineering funding for future improvements that include an on street bike lane along portions of 155th Street between Broadway Ave and Lexington Ave, as well as three crosswalks along the corridor in the City of Harvey. The project will resurface the roadway as a prerequisite to installing the bike lane and making intersection improvements. The project would directly support access to Pace bus route 364 as well as to the Harvey Transportation Center and the Harvey Metra Electric station. |
| Hazel Crest | Cook | Phase I - Pedestrian Access Improvements | The Village of Hazel Crest is seeking Phase I engineering funding for future improvements that include a sidepath connector, raised crosswalks, and pedestrian scaled lighting at key intersections in the Village. The sidepath connector would widen the existing sidewalk from 5 feet to 8 feet on 170th Street from Park Avenue to Dixie Highway. Additional improvements would include pedestrian lighting and raised crosswalks at key intersections. The widened sidepath would serve pedestrians accessing the Hazel Crest Metra Station that serves the Metra Electric line as well as Pace riders using Route 356 which crosses the study area along Wood Street. |
| Itasca | DuPage | Phase II and Construction - Pedestrian Access Improvements | The Village of Itasca is seeking Phase II engineering and construction funding for pedestrian gate crossings at the Walnut Street railroad crossing, just north of IL-19 (Irving Park Road), and pedestrian activated flashing beacon signals at two crossings along IL-19, one at S. Maple Street and the other at S. Rush Street. ADA upgrades to the crossings and new wayfinding signage are also part of the proposed improvements. The proposed improvements will enhance the pedestrian network and experience to increase the attractiveness and safety of walking and biking to the Itasca Metra station on the MD-W line. |
| Metra | Cook | Phase II and Construction - Pedestrian Access Improvements | Metra is seeking Phase II engineering and construction funding for the installation of a new climate controlled shelter at the Edgebrook Metra Station platform. The project will also include increased bike parking, enhanced bike and pedestrian pathways, sidewalk connectors, ADA compliant curb ramps, and new wayfinding signage. New wayfinding signage will guide people to CTA bus route connections and the nearby North Branch Trail. The Edgebrook station serves the Metra MD-N line. |
| Niles | Cook | Phase I - Pedestrian Access Improvements | The Village of Niles is seeking phase I engineering funding for future improvements that include a sidepath along Dempster Street between Cumberland Avenue and Milwaukee Avenue (IL 21) in the Village of Niles. Proposed improvements include a 10 foot sidepath, ADA ramp improvements at signalized intersections, and other associated tasks that include potential utility relocations and fence improvements. The proposed sidepath will connect existing Pace transit stops on Dempster, two of which are being upgraded to Pace Dempster Pulse Line stations (Cumberland, Milwaukee). One will remain as a stop for the Pace Bus Route 250 (Dempster @ Grand), which currently lacks sufficient pedestrian access. |
| Waukegan | Lake | Phase I - Pedestrian Access Improvements | The City of Waukegan is seeking phase I engineering funding for various improvements to ADA compliance, pedestrian access, and wayfinding signage at Waukagan's downtown transit hub. Proposed improvements would include a mid-block flashing beacon pedestrian crosswalk on Sheridan, painted crosswalks at Washington and Spring, and realigned curbs and ramps at intersections to improve pedestrian safety. Also proposed are safety improvements for motorists in the area, including left turn pavement markings and 3-way stop signs and stop bars that indicate motorists to yield to pedestrians. The proposed improvements would serve pedestrians accessing the Waukegan Metra station on the Union Pacific North line as well as Pace bus route 565, 568, 571, and 572. |
RTA staff and representatives from the Service Boards and CMAP will review all applications. Applications will first be screened for eligibility and then selected based on the project’s readiness, ability to increase ridership, local support, and feedback from the Service Boards and CMAP.
If a project application is selected for the Access to Transit program and the RTA secures CMAQ funding, the applicant (sponsor) is then responsible for working with IDOT to complete Phase II Engineering and oversee the project to completion. The RTA requires all project sponsors to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) that confirms the local match funding arrangement and the program standards. Project sponsors are required to front the 20% match payments and will be reimbursed by the RTA for the predetermined local match contribution according to the invoicing process established in the IGA.
Phase I Engineering only awardees will enter into an IGA with the RTA to confirm the funding arrangement and the project standards. Once an IGA has been executed, the applicant can begin procuring engineering services. Applicants are required to front engineering expenses and then seek reimbursement by the RTA according to the invoicing process established in the IGA after receiving approval from the RTA.
Access to Transit Call for Projects | |
October 2023 | Open call for projects on October 16 |
December 2023 | Applications due on December 15 |
January – February 2024 | Application review and selection; notify all applicants of status RTA executes IGA’s with successful Phase I applicants, who then begin the work |
CMAQ Call for Projects (tentative) | |
October 2024 | CMAQ call for projects opens October 14 |
November – December 2024 | RTA finalizes CMAQ application on behalf of selected applicants December 13 |
May 2025 | CMAQ program of projects released for public comment |
July 2025 | CMAQ program of projects finalized |
Following the 2022 Access to Transit Program, Call for Projects, the RTA awarded funding for nine different projects throughout the region. Read about the projects and see maps of each below.
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.
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 provided via Invest in Cook. The project will use $800,000 in CMAQ funding, $100,000 in RTA funding, and $100,000 in local match funds.
The RTA has awarded $585,512 in construction funding to the Village of Cary to develop the Depot Plaza in downtown Cary, as envisioned in the Cary Downtown Strategic Plan. Improvements include an open-air plaza with artificial turf, shelter for bicyclists and pedestrians waiting for 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.
The RTA has awarded $53,628 to the Village of Ford Heights for improving the sidewalk network, adding concrete pads to select bus stops, and installing ADA-compliant crosswalks at key intersections surrounding the Pace Route 357. The bus route runs through the center of the village and forms a loop around the future 60-acre mixed-use New Town Center development. There are currently significant gaps in the sidewalk network that connects these surrounding areas with bus stops, and most crosswalks in the area are faded and are not ADA-compliant.
Currently, more than 50 percent of Ford Heights’ local roads lack sidewalks on either side of the road. This makes it challenging for transit users, especially seniors and people with disabilities, to safely access bus stops. The proposed improvements will enhance the real and perceived safety of accessing transit, which will encourage the community to ride.
Additionally, the village is working with partners to develop a mixed-use New Town Center that is surrounded by Pace Route 357. The development will generate more pedestrian foot traffic and provide opportunities for transit supportive development, including multi-family housing. The proposed sidewalk improvements and ADA-compliant intersections will ensure that users of the New Town Center development have adequate pedestrian infrastructure that safely connects them with transit.
“The Village is excited to work with the RTA and Pace Suburban Bus to implement sidewalk, bus shelter and intersection improvements,” said Ford Heights Mayor Charles Griffin. “These improvements will improve residents’ access to Pace Bus Route 357 by filling in sidewalk gaps and making intersections easier to navigate for people with mobility disadvantages. This project will not only improve transit access for current residents but will also support the Village’s effort to develop a walkable and transit-friendly New Town Center. We are grateful for the financial support made possible through the RTA’s Access to Transit program and plan to leverage this funding to secure additional public and private investment.”
The RTA has awarded $55,000 to the City of Harvard for pedestrian access improvements along Illinois Route 173 from Marengo Road to US Route 14, including new sidewalks, ADA crosswalks, and pedestrian access over Mokeler Creek. Currently, there are no sidewalks along Route 173, forcing pedestrians to walk on the shoulder. At the crossing of Mokeler Creek, pedestrians have to walk in the travel lanes of Route 173 to get over the creek.
The City of Harvard’s downtown area, including the Metra train station, is four blocks north of this improvement. Route 14 south is Harvard’s southern commercial district. This project will bridge those two areas. Pace Route 808, which runs between the cities of Crystal Lake, Woodstock and the City of Harvard, utilizes Ayer Street, Route 173 and Route 14 as its route through the City of Harvard. Extending the sidewalk system along Route 173 will provide increased access to these areas. Furthermore, this is the middle section of Harvard’s long-range plan to provide sidewalks all along this corridor.
“Without the help and access to the RTA program Access to Transit, the City of Harvard being a smaller community would not be able to compete with larger communities,” said Harvard City Administrator Dave Nelson. “The City of Harvard appreciates the RTA for looking out for smaller communities who may not possess the expertise to write grants in-house.”
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.
The RTA has awarded $55,000 to the City of Harvey for improvements along Broadway Avenue in downtown Harvey. The project will include transit access improvements such as bus shelters, pedestrian improvements including ADA-compliant intersections, and new roadway bike facilities. These improvements will better provide for a multi-modal downtown Harvey and will connect the new Pace Harvey Transportation Center with Broadway Avenue.
The RTA has awarded $44,000 to the Village of Maywood for a covered bicycle shelter near the 5th Avenue Metra station served by the Union Pacific West line, heated bus shelters along 5th Avenue as served by Pace, wayfinding signage for the train station, and pavement marking improvements.
Pace Route 331 runs on 5th Avenue adjacent to the Metra station, and Pace Route 309 is located in close proximity along nearby Lake Street. The heated bus shelters will encourage ridership, and wayfinding and pavement marking improvements will offer a safer, more seamless experience for transit users.
Learn more about past Access to Transit projects on RTAMS, the RTA’s mapping and statistics website.
The RTA has awarded the Village of Plainfield $921,790 in Phase II engineering, ROW, 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. Wayfinding signage to the Plainfield Park-n-Ride and downtown Plainfield will 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.
