Matteson, Park Forest, and Richton Park Partner with RTA to Find Mobility Solutions

The Villages of Matteson, Park Forest, and Richton Park, in partnership with the RTA, recently launched a Transportation Alternatives Study to identify mobility barriers and solutions in these communities.

The study will help the Villages identify and implement transportation options that meet the unique transit needs of local residents and employees, complement existing transit services, prepare the villages for change, build public awareness of transportation options, and help make the communities more environmentally sustainable.

The study aims to:

Identify areas most in need of connections to transportation including where and when residents need to travel
Identify and review the feasibility of transportation alternatives
Identify programming and promotions that encourage multi-modal trips
Develop an action plan for implementation and assessment of study results

The RTA has enjoyed a longstanding partnership with the Villages. Thee agency is pleased to support this collaborative approach to identifying innovative strategies for improving accessibility in this area of South Cook County.

The communities had applied jointly in 2019 for technical assistance through the RTA Community Planning Program. RTA staff will provide the Villages with technical assistance, including data collection and analysis, public engagement, and implementation strategies. Completion of the Transportation Alternatives Study is expected by the end of this year. In addition to the partnership with Matteson, Park Forest, and Richton Park, the program has over the past two decades supported more than 200 planning and implementation projects funded with $210 million from combined RTA, local, and federal sources.