Funds Available to Help Communities Plan for Transit-Oriented Development and Transit Improvements

May 1, 2015

Applications being accepted for the RTA Community Planning Program

CHICAGO - The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) today are issuing a joint Call for Projects for the RTA’s 2016 Community Planning Program and CMAP’s Local Technical Assistance (LTA) Program. Funding and planning assistance are available to local governments and CTA, Metra and Pace for implementation and planning projects that benefit the community and the regional transit system. 

Last year, 16 Community Planning Program applicants received funding totaling $810,000, made up of approximately $368,000 of federal funding; $145,000 in locally matched funds and $297,000 of RTA funds. These dollars supported innovative projects to improve economic development near transit and increase transit usage throughout the region. It is expected that a similar number of projects will be selected this year.  This is the 17th year of this program.

Applications for the Community Planning Program are due by noon on June 25, 2015 and can be found at www.rtachicago.org/applications. Interested applicants can attend an informational session at CMAP, 233 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Please reserve your spot by emailing Erin Aleman at ealeman@cmap.illinois.gov or calling 312-386-8816.

For more information about the RTA's Community Planning program, visit www.RTAChicago.org. 

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About the RTA

The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) is the only transit agency charged with regional financial oversight, funding, and transit planning for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra and Pace bus and paratransit. The RTA region serves two million riders each weekday in six counties with 7,200 transit route miles throughout Northeastern Illinois. The Agency also provides customer services including on-line and telephone travel planning assistance and travel training for seniors and people with disabilities.  For more information, visit www.RTAchicago.org.