RTA seeks your input on draft Regional Transit Strategic Plan

June 3, 2013

The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) today released a draft of the Regional Transit Strategic Plan and is seeking public input. The plan, which establishes a common vision for transit in our region and sets priorities, will assist the RTA in how best to improve our region over the next five years. Survey will be accepted through July 1, 2013.

“The plan lays out recommendations that will address the most important issues facing transit in the coming years,” said Leanne Redden, Senior Deputy Executive Director, Planning and Market Development, citing that the plan addresses a myriad issues from insufficient funding to improving customer experience through a more modernized system.

The strategic plan identifies the vision of the regional transit system as “a world-class regional public transportation system providing a foundation to the region’s prosperity, livability, and vitality.”  Public input will assist in collectively guiding the plan implementation and provide a safe, reliable and affordable transit system that meets the needs of our region.

The RTA values public input of how to better the region’s transit system.  We are seeking the public’s input and have provided several options:

Take a survey or provide your comments by visiting http://tinyurl.com/SurveyRTA.

• Survey - This brief survey seeks your input on recommendations that are being considered as part of the plan. The survey should take less than 10 minutes.
• Comment - An opportunity to provide a formal comment that will be accepted as part of the hearing process.

Public Hearing

The RTA will host eight public hearings throughout the region.  At these hearings you will have the opportunity to view the plan and talk one on one with RTA staff.  The dates and locations of the hearings are attached.

A full description of goals and objectives of the system are identified in the plan.  The draft plan can be downloaded by visiting www.rtachicago.org/strategic-plan.

The RTA is required by law to update the region's Transit Strategic Plan every five years. The region's current strategic plan is based off of the 2007 Moving Beyond Congestion plan and the 2008 RTA Reform Act.  Since their adoption, the region today stands more informed through various strategic initiatives such as the RTA's performance measures program, capital asset assessment and a regional market analysis to better anticipate continuing and emerging issues in the next five years.

Strategic Plan Public Hearing Schedule

June 18th

DuPage County 
Wheaton City Hall, City Council Chambers, 
303 W. Wesley Street, Wheaton, IL
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Kane County
Kane County Government Center
Building A 1st Floor Auditorium, 719 S. Batavia Avenue, Geneva, IL
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

June 19th

Downtown Chicago 
RTA Headquarters
175 W. Jackson Blvd. Suite 1650, Chicago
11a.m. - 1p.m.

South Cook
Flossmoor Village Hall, Village Board Room
2800 Flossmoor Road, Flossmoor, IL
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

June 20th

Lake County 
Grayslake Village Hall, City Council Chambers 
10 S. Seymour, Grayslake, IL
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

North Cook County
Arlington Heights Village Hall, Board Room and Community Room 
33 S. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

McHenry County
Crystal Lake City Hall, City Council Chamber
100 W. Woodstock Street, Crystal Lake, IL
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

June 25

Will County 
New Lenox Village Hall, Council Chambers 
1 Veterans Parkway, New Lenox, IL
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.