RTA will award more than $16M in federal funding for projects that enhance mobility for seniors and individuals with…

On August 21, the RTA Board of Directors approved a program of projects that will make it easier for older adults and people with disabilities to get to jobs, medical appointments, the grocery store, social activities, and more. The Section 5310 Program is a federal formula grant program that provides assistance to public transportation projects that focus on enhancing mobility for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Learn more and read stories about how this program has impacted riders throughout the region.

The RTA became the designated recipient for the Section 5310 program with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) in 2013. A total of $19.9 million in funding was available for this call. Of that, $3.5 million will be used by IDOT for paratransit vehicle purchases, and $16.5 million will be used by the RTA for operating, mobility management, and capital projects.

Project selection for the program is guided by the Coordinated Public Transit‐Human Service Transportation Plan (HSTP), which was updated and adopted by the RTA in March 2021 and which is undergoing another update now. A locally developed HSTP identifies the transportation needs of individuals with disabilities, older adults, and people with low incomes; provides strategies for meeting those local needs; and prioritizes transportation services and projects for funding and implementation.

The RTA conducts a call for projects every other year, combining two years of funding. This iteration of the program’s call for projects opened in March, and 15 applicants presented to the Project Selection Team in May. This team includes staff from IDOT, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), Easter Seals, and the RTA. Based on eligibility, needed funding for returning operating projects, and the Project Selection Team’s scoring and ranking, RTA staff recommended all 15 projects and opened a 30-day public comment period in July, which yielded 15 comments in support of the recommended projects. The RTA Board approved the program of projects on August 21, including funding to the RTA to conduct a regional dial-a-ride coordination study:

Applicant	Project Title	Project Type	Project Description	Federal Award	Local Match
Clearbrook	Community Connections for Adults with Disabilities	Operating	This transportation program serves adults with disabilities, many of whom are seniors. The program operates 24 hours/day, 7 days/week in Kane, Cook, lake, McHenry, and Will Counties. Clearbrook regularly and strategically expands its service area ensuring on-call transportation is available at all times. This is an existing Section 5310 funded program.	$420,000	$420,000
CTF Illinois	Creating Accessible Transportation for People with Disabilities	Operating	CTF Illinois offers transportation services on a 24/7 basis to individuals with disabilities. CTF Illinois currently operates in Cook and Will Counties. This is an existing Section 5310 funded program.	$300,000	$300,000
City of Naperville	Ride DuPage to Work	Operating	Ride DuPage to Work provides paratransit transportation for registered participants, offering rides to and from their workplace 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The City of Naperville, in partnership with Lisle Township, Naperville Township, and Wheatland Township (collectively known as the Naperville Partners), collaborates with the Milton Partners—which include the Village of Glen Ellyn, Milton Township, and the City of Wheaton—to apply for and support this program. This is an existing Section 5310 funded program.	$525,000	$525,000
DuPage County	DuPage County Transportation to Work	Operating	The DuPage County Transportation to Work program provides demand-responsive transportation to and from work for persons with disabilities. Riders can travel outside of DuPage provided that the trip either originates or terminates within the county. The addition of the UBER-RAP option has now given riders even more flexibility and integrated Uber drivers into the mix of service providers. This is an existing Section 5310 funded program.	$898,720	$898,720
Grundy County	Grundy Transit System	Operating	Grundy Transit System (GTS) is a demand-response community program for Grundy County. GTS services are provided for the general public with a special emphasis on transportation for seniors and persons with disabilities. Demand-response services are available Monday-Friday from 6am - 6pm, except for federal holidays. GTS buses operate throughout all of Grundy County with delivery points to portions of Will County, IL. This is a new request for Section 5310 funding.	$100,000	$100,000
Kane County	Ride In Kane Paratransit Service	Operating, Mobility Management	Ride in Kane offers curb-to-curb transportation for eligible seniors and individuals with disabilities in Kane County, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The program provides approximately 65,000 trips annually for its target population. Ride in Kane functions as a consortium of local municipalities, townships, and human service agencies. Mobility management funds will support a part-time Ride in Kane employee as well as the full-time mobility manager. This is an existing Section 5310 funded program.	$2,684,779	$2,609,945
Kendall County	Kendall Area Transit	Operating	Kendall Area Transit (KAT) is the demand-response community transportation program serving Kendall County Monday through Friday from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM, excluding certain holidays. KAT services are designed for the general public, with a particular focus on providing transportation solutions for senior citizens and individuals with disabilities. KAT operates a fleet of 22 ADA-accessible paratransit vehicles. This is an existing Section 5310 funded program.	$1,000,000	$1,000,000
Lake County	Ride Lake County	Operating	Ride Lake County is a borderless countywide paratransit service that provides seniors and individuals with disabilities transportation to any area of Lake County. The service is vital to the senior and ADA demographic because it provides an affordable means of transportation and access to medical facilities, places of employment, and other essential amenities. This is an existing Section 5310 funded program.	$1,750,000	$1,750,000
Little City Foundation	Little City Foundation Transportation Project	Operating	The Little City Foundation Transportation project serves individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities attending day programs, medical appointments, employment, shopping, and community integration activities. Little City operates residential and day program facilities across Cook, Lake, and DuPage Counties, with locations in Arlington Heights, Chicago, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Grayslake, Palatine, Roselle, Schaumburg, and Streamwood. This is an existing Section 5310 funded program.	$500,000	$500,000
McHenry County	McHenry County Transportation Programs	Operating , Mobility Management	MCRide provides coordinated dial-a-ride service to individuals with at least one disability that limits or prohibits their ability to drive, older adults who are 60 years and over, and members of the general public. MCRide is a curb-to-curb, demand response service that operates seven days of the week, currently from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Service is provided to all municipalities and townships within McHenry County and seven-point destinations outside of the County. There are no limitations on trip purpose. This is an existing Section 5310 funded program.	$1,995,000	$1,905,000
Ray Graham Association	Ray Graham Association's Comprehensive Transportation Program	Operating	Ray Graham Association’s (RGA’s) Comprehensive Transportation Program (CTP) provides safe, efficient and cost-effective transportation to people with disabilities who participate in a variety of RGA services to take advantage of life in the community. With a well-maintained fleet of 75 vehicles, people with disabilities are transported from their homes to Community Learning Services (CLSs or Day Programming) and throughout the community for activities including grocery shopping, medical appointments, employment, volunteering and recreational activities. This is an existing Section 5310 funded program.	$635,000	$635,000
Will County	Access Will County Dial-a-Ride	Operating, Mobility Management	Access Will County Dial-a-Ride, formerly Will-Ride, provides transportation for Will County’s seniors and individuals living with disabilities. Will County has established a consolidated, countywide dial-a-ride service to eliminate service gaps, expand coverage, and improve the cost efficiency of the multiple, township-based dial-a-ride services in Will County through consolidation. The service currently operates Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. This is an existing Section 5310 funded program.	$1,020,000	$930,000
Chicago Transit Authority	Real-Time Digital Station Customer Information Enhancements	Capital	Funding will support the installation of Real-Time Digital Station Customer Information (SCIDs) Enhancements at up to eight CTA rail stations. The displays will include audio functionality such as audio buttons or similar tools that provide audible descriptions of the visual content to ensure customers who are blind, have low vision, or face difficulty accessing visual information can independently receive the same critical service updates.	$900,000	$225,000
Metra	Metra Digital Station Displays Expansion	Capital	Metra is requesting Section 5310 funding to purchase and install 130 digital station display signage systems at 40 of Metra's 243 stations. These signs provide visual information that is a requirement to be compliant with ADA law as it pertains to transit stations, and they are particularly beneficial for people with hearing impairments and seniors with disabilities.	$900,000	$225,000
Pace Suburban Bus	Phase X - Regional Call Center	Mobility Management	Phase X is the continuation of the Mobility Management Call Center services provided by Pace through the Regional Mobility Management Call Center (RMMCC), serving South Cook, DuPage, Kane and Will counties, and the Northern Mobility Management Call Center (NMMCC) serving North Cook, Lake, and McHenry counties. The main objectives are to offer a variety of transportation services to meet the region’s diverse needs and connect people with the best options for their travel. This is an existing Section 5310 funded program.	$2,500,000	$625,000
Regional Transportation Authority	Regional Dial-a-Ride Coordination Study	Admin	The RTA requests administration funds to conduct a regionwide Dial-A-Ride Coordination study to determine strategies for county level dial-a-ride services to better coordinate services across county lines.	$350,000	N/A

RTA staff will now prepare the official application to the Federal Transit Administration and will issue grant agreements to subrecipients in the first and second quarters of 2026.

The Section 5310 Program is one example of working toward the goals in RTA regional transit strategic plan Transit is the Answer, which calls for a fully accessible transit system. Learn more and join the Transit is the Answer Coalition.