RTA announces largest Access to Transit program, bringing $11 million of bicycle and pedestrian improvements to…

The RTA has selected 21 new projects at a total cost of $10.9 million for its Access to Transit program, making it the largest round of funding in agency history in terms of both the number of projects and dollar amount.

Access to Transit provides funding to municipalities to complete engineering and construction for small-scale capital improvements—like filling sidewalk gaps and installing covered bicycle parking—that improve connections to transit for people who walk, ride, or roll to transit services. This group of new projects will be the eighth group accepted to the Access to Transit program, which has funded 50 projects since the program began in 2014.

Why are there more projects than ever?

The Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Act is a historic transit funding and reform package that will change the governance of the regional transit system and provide an estimated $1.2 billion in new annual operating funding. The RTA Board of Directors approved an amendment to the regional 2026 Operating Budget that allocates some of this funding to key short-term, rider-focused improvements in alignment with the NITA Act, including the Access to Transit program.

Agency funds account for 30% of the total budget, and the RTA is pursuing Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) funding this winter to cover another 61%, which will likely be awarded in August of 2027. The remaining 9% will come in the form of a local match from awardees.

About the projects

Fifteen of the 21 awards will fund Phase II Engineering and Construction of which 12 will depend on the RTA successfully obtaining federal CMAQ funding. The remaining six projects will fund Phase I Engineering which assesses sites for future pedestrian and bike facility projects in transit areas.

Phase I Engineering is frequently a challenge for communities of high need because of the cost, so the RTA will fund 100 percent of the engineering costs, estimated at $330,000 total. Work on these projects can begin later this year.

The RTA began offering funding for Phase I Engineering in 2021 to extend the benefits of the Access to Transit program to high and moderate need communities. This initial work can be prohibitively expensive for communities with a smaller local tax base.

All communities who receive Phase I Engineering funding this year can apply for Phase II Engineering and Construction during the RTA’s next call for projects so long as their project remains eligible for CMAQ funding.

Phase I Engineering Projects:

Harvey

The City of Harvey will conduct preliminary engineering to construct several sidewalk improvements along 155th Street and Park Avenue, right next to the Harvey Transportation Center.

These improvements are centered on Pace bus routes and the Harvey Metra Electric stop. When combined with upgrades along Broadway Avenue and Wood Street, users will have a robust network of sidewalks connecting to transit.

Homewood

The Village of Homewood will complete preliminary engineering to address pedestrian safety and comfort concerns along portions of Ridge Road and Dixie Highway in downtown Homewood.

Proposed improvements include high visibility crosswalks, new ADA ramp construction, curb reconfiguration, curb radii reductions (to slow traffic and shorten crossing distances), in-street pedestrian crossing signs, and flashing crosswalk signs.

Additional safety signs will be added to the intersections of Dixie Highway and Olive Road, Dixie and Hickory Road, and Ridge Road at Gottschalk Avenue.

Lynwood

The Village of Lynwood will conduct Phase I engineering for the installation of ADA-compliant concrete boarding pads and passenger shelters at bus stops along Torrence Avenue, along with construction of short sidewalk gap connections to provide improved access to the stops. Additional ADA improvements, such as curb ramps and surface upgrades, will be incorporated as needed to ensure compliance with accessibility standards. These improvements will enhance safety, comfort, and accessibility for transit users without altering roadway geometry or relocating existing bus stops.

Village of Phoenix

The Village of Phoenix is improving aging sidewalk segments along 151st, 152nd, and 153rd Streets. These corridors were identified as priorities due to hazardous conditions that limit safe and equitable access to local transit.

Pace Route 348 operates along 151st and 153rd Streets, with 152nd Street serving as a vital connector for residents traveling to and from these bus routes. Existing sidewalks in these areas show extensive deterioration, with crumbling and uneven panels, creating safety risks and significant barriers to ADA accessibility. Because many residents rely on public transit to reach essential destinations such as workplaces, schools, and medical facilities, addressing these sidewalk deficiencies is a critical investment in community mobility and safety.

Wood Dale

The City of Wood Dale is completing Phase I engineering for a multi-use path that will increase mobility throughout the city and to promote alternative means of travel.

This connection will be created by upgrading the existing 5-foot sidewalk on the west side of Wood Dale Road into a bike/footpath at least 8 feet across. This improved path will begin near the Metra station on Irving Park Road and continue about a half mile south to the Oakbrook Elementary School where it will connect to the Salt Creek Bike Trail.

Woodstock

The City of Woodstock is working on preliminary engineering for pedestrian improvements in its historic square and around the nearby Metra and Pace stops. These include slope corrections, crossing upgrades, repairs to tripping hazards, and other ADA compliance measures.

These upgrades will make the square more accessible to people with disabilities and make it more appealing for everyone to leave their car behind when visiting.

Phase II Engineering and Construction Projects:

Bensenville

The Village of Bensenville is filling critical pedestrian infrastructure gaps along Roosevelt Avenue, Main Street, Grace Street, Rose Street, and May Street. These gaps currently limit safe access to transit and local destinations.

These improvements will add 16,000 square feet (over 300 feet in length) of new sidewalk and modernize over two dozen intersections with ADA-compliant curb ramps and detectable warning surfaces.

Bensenville’s Metra station needs more bike parking too. The village is upgrading its two small racks to a new high-capacity facility to better serve demand and encourage “last mile” trips.

Berkeley

The Village of Berkeley is building safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists along Taft Avenue from Maple Avenue to the Berkeley Metra station. The village will add new bike lanes in both directions and better bike route signage.

Berkeley also plans to widen and correct the slope of sidewalks in this area in order to adhere to accessibility standards. ADA-compliant crosswalks with tactile surfaces will be installed at key intersections.

Chicago Department of Transportation

The Chicago Department of Transportation and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County are closing a gap in the Major Taylor Trail, which is near the 91st Street – Beverly Hills Metra station on the Rock Island Line.

The project will extend the existing trail 165 feet south, allowing users to remain off the street until the 91st/Beverly intersection.

On 91st Street, the trail will continue to use the existing railway crossing. However, the bike lane will be repaved and repainted.

The adjacent sidewalk is receiving new ADA ramps and tactile surfaces, new curbs and gutter, and resurfacing of the roadway to improve safety and comfort for people walking, biking, and taking transit through this area.

Des Plaines

The City of Des Plaines is constructing a new pedestrian crossing on Northwest Highway (US 14) with a flashing crossing sign directly in front of the Cumberland Metra/Pace bus station.

Local officials have expressed safety concerns about the current dynamics. The closest existing crosswalk is well used but forces pedestrians to cross the four-lane Northwest Highway, with a speed limit of 40 miles per hour.

Downers Grove

The Village of Downers Grove will construct four curb extensions at the intersection of Burlington Avenue and Belmont Road ramps, just north of the Downers Grove Belmont Metra station.

This project will reduce pedestrian crossing distance and reclaim space for pedestrians and cyclists accessing the station from the north side of the railroad tracks. The proposed curb extensions provide refuge for active transportation users and train commuters crossing Belmont Road ramps.

In addition to the curb extensions Downers Grove will restore the parkway, repave the roadway, and repaint crosswalks and lanes.

Downers Grove Access to Transit Project — Aerial view of Belmont Metra Station with Planned Improvements

Fox Lake

The Village of Fox Lake is working on a shared use path that will connect the regional Chain O’ Lakes Trail directly to the Metra Milwaukee District–North (MD–N) Fox Lake station as well as Pace bus routes 570 and 806.

The shared use path project will include a new 8-foot-wide protected path along the village alley between Rollins Road and Grand Avenue, with connections to adjacent sidewalks, new ADA curb ramps, and resurfaced alley segments to create a continuous, accessible travel way. This link provides residents and recreational visitors a safe, low-stress route to reach rail and bus service.

Harvard

The City of Harvard is improving the area around its transit center. It will install a 6-foot-wide sidewalk along the east side of Eastman Street, from Front Street to the Metra station. Harvard is also adding pedestrian improvements at the Front Street intersection and in front of the Metra station.

Eastman Street connects Metra UP-NW riders to downtown Harvard and Pace Route 808, and yet it does not have sidewalks on either side of the roadway. Both sides of the road have multiple interruptions where people may try to walk or roll including dumpsters, retaining walls, ramps protruding from buildings, and grassy areas. Despite the risk of competing with drivers, the most convenient place to walk/roll currently is in the roadway itself.

Harvard Access to Transit Project — Render of the future sidewalk on Eastman Street

Hillside

The Village of Hillside is improving access to transit with safe and ADA-compliant travel options for pedestrians and bicyclists. The project area spans Taft Avenue from Butterfield Road (IL 56) to Ridge Avenue and is located less than ¼ mile south of the Illinois Prairie Path.

Improvements include adding on-street bike lanes and route wayfinding in both directions. Sidewalk improvements will include filling gaps and widening at key locations as well as correcting the slope for ADA compliance. New crosswalks with tactile surfaces and high visibility markings will also be installed at key intersections to address accessibility barriers.

The project will create a continuous, safe pedestrian and bicycle route, allowing users to connect to Butterfield Road Pace bus routes and continue north to reach the Berkeley Metra station and bus routes on St. Charles Road.

Illinois Medical District Commission

The Illinois Medical District Commission (IMDC) is improving the area along Harrison Street between Wolcott Avenue and Paulina Street to make it safer and more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.

The proposed improvements include raised crosswalks, sidewalk enhancements, curb extensions, audible pedestrian signals, and retimed intersections that give pedestrians a head start over vehicles. Additional upgrades include a median island extension, a new median, and flashing crosswalk signs to improve pedestrian refuge and driver awareness.

Bicycle improvements include new bike lane markings and the installation of bike racks and bike lockers near key destinations and transit connections. Harrison Street is a critical east-west corridor serving the IMD and functions as a primary route for employees, patients, students, and visitors traveling via transit into and through the district.

Kane County Division of Transportation

The Kane County Division of Transportation is closing a sidewalk gap along Randall Road and adding signalized crossing. These changes will create an accessible pedestrian route to the I-90 Randall Road Pace Park and Ride Facility on Point Boulevard.

This new crosswalk will connect the existing sidewalk on the north side of Point Boulevard to the existing sidewalk in front of the newly constructed Elgin Kia dealership on the west side of Randall.

The project will also provide pedestrian accommodations at the intersections of Randall Road and Point Boulevard and Randall Road and Saddle Club Parkway/Auto Mall Drive. The new sidewalk will be 5 feet wide and ADA compliant. The construction of the new sidewalk will require culvert work, lighting relocation, and draining work.

Metra Central Street (Evanston), Hickory Creek (Mokena), and Lisle

Metra is asking for funding to enhance facilities on the south platform of the Evanston Central Street Metra station along the Union Pacific North Line; the south platform of the Hickory Creek Metra station in Mokena on the Rock Island Line; and the south platform of the Lisle Metra station located along Metra’s BNSF Line.

Each station will receive a new warming shelter and a modern signage package including points of interest wayfinding and digital display monitors. The project will help boost transit ridership by making commuting more safe, comfortable, and predictable.

Hickory Creek Access to Transit Project — Render of planned warming shelter at the Hickory Creek Metra Station in Mokena, Il.

Metra Clarendon Hills

Metra is bringing the Clarendon Hills Metra station into full ADA compliance. Updates include more accessible parking stalls, tactile warning strips at the edge of train platforms, new ADA boarding signage, and automatic sensors on station doors. Metra will also rebuild pedestrian crossings, platforms, and slopes to meet ADA standards.

Waukegan

The City of Waukegan is improving pedestrian safety and accessibility at their downtown transit hub, served by Metra and several Pace bus routes. Improvements will be made at the intersections of Sheridan and Washington, Sheridan and Madison, and Washington and Spring.

Planned upgrades include a mid-block crossing with flashing pedestrian signage to better access the main Pace bus stop on Sheridan, high-visibility crosswalks at intersections, realignment of the pedestrian path to the Metra station and features to make pedestrians more visible to drivers. Preliminary engineering for this project was completed through the RTA's Access to Transit program.

Learn more about past Access to Transit projects on RTAMS, the RTA’s mapping and statistics website.