RTA announces ten new Community Planning projects that will advance under NITA

The RTA has selected ten new projects for its Community Planning program following a joint call for projects held with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) earlier this year. The new projects in Des Plaines, Fox Lake, Glenwood, Harvard, Oak Park, Skokie, South Elgin, and Chicago will help create more walkable, equitable, and transit-friendly communities across the region.

Since launching the Community Planning program in 1998, the RTA has partnered with communities on more than 200 projects. On September 1, responsibility for the program will transition to the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA), which will carry this work forward.

Types of projects

The 2026 projects fall into three categories:

Equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD) and corridor planning: These projects study areas surrounding transit stations or along transit routes and develop recommendations for land use, infrastructure and public policy. The goal is to support mixed-use development, economic activity and safer, easier access to transit.

Development Dialogues: These projects bring local officials and development professionals together to discuss challenging sites, market conditions, and opportunities for development near transit.

Transit-area zoning and parking updates: These projects help communities modernize their zoning codes, support transit-friendly development and comply with the People Over Parking Act.

The People Over Parking Act took effect June 1, 2026. Enacted through the same state legislation that established NITA, the law generally prohibits local governments from imposing minimum automobile parking requirements on development projects located within one-half mile of a public transportation hub or one-eighth mile of a public transportation corridor.

ETOD/Corridor Planning

Chicago: Future 130th Red Line Station

NITA will partner with the Chicago Department of Planning and Development to complete an ETOD Plan for the future 130th Street station, the last stop on the CTA Red Line extension.

The plan will build on previous recommendations for the area and identify specific policies related to land use, density, infrastructure, and mobility. The final plan will include a clear and implementable strategy that centers open access to civic spaces.

Chicago: Western Avenue

NITA will partner with the Chicago Department of Planning and Development to study Western Avenue between West 49th and West 75th streets. This segment of Western Avenue has been identified as a Bus Priority Corridor for the CTA.

The plan will identify opportunities to transform the car-oriented street into a more people-focused corridor that supports a variety of housing types, businesses, and transportation options. Recommendations will address land use, zoning, building design, and pedestrian and transit infrastructure improvements. Together, these changes can encourage investment and strengthen transit as an attractive and practical way to travel along Western Avenue.

Harvard

NITA will collaborate with the City of Harvard on a plan for one of the City’s main thoroughfares on South Division Street (US-14) between Brink Street (IL-173) and IL-23/Heritage Lane. The plan will be incorporated into the Harvard Downtown ETOD plan, and examine opportunities to improve transportation safety and pedestrian infrastructure.

These planned improvements will connect residents and visitors to the Harvard Metra station and the growing pedestrian network in Downtown Harvard.

South Elgin

NITA will support the Village of South Elgin in developing a corridor plan along IL-31/La Fox Street from Bowes Road on the north to the Fox Valley Trolley Museum to the south. The corridor is serviced by Pace Route 801 which serves the Elgin and Geneva communities and is slated for service enhancements.

The project area also includes parts of State Street where it crosses the Fox River. The Village seeks a plan that will advance redevelopment of the corridor and improve the mobility network for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users.

Development Dialogue

Fox Lake

NITA will convene a panel of developers in Fox Lake to discuss two parcels identified as high-priority redevelopment sites in the Village's Downtown Master Plan. Both sites are located within walking distance of the Fox Lake Metra station on the Milwaukee District North Line.

The Development Dialogue will provide the village with expert feedback on the sites’ potential, possible development strategies and how existing market conditions should inform its downtown revitalization efforts.

Glenwood

The Village of Glenwood and NITA will gather developer input about a piece of land the Village owns at Halsted Street and Streiff Lane.

Pace Route 352 (Halsted) provides daily 24-hour bus service at this location and is poised for future service enhancements. This route offers service to CTA’s 95th/Dan Ryan Red Line station, the Pace Harvey Transportation Center, and the Pace Chicago Heights Terminal.

The village has faced challenges attracting development to the property. The Development Dialogue will help Glenwood better understand the site’s potential and identify municipal incentives that could help advance redevelopment.

Oak Park

NITA will convene a panel of developers in Oak Park to discuss a former industrial site near the CTA Harlem Blue Line station on the Forest Park branch. This is a key commercial location within Oak Park, so the village would like to explore potential future uses for the site. In the future, the Village would like to create a commercial or mixed-use area within walking distance of transit and is seeking input from developers regarding this concept.

Transit Area Parking and Zoning

Des Plaines

NITA will assist the City of Des Plaines as it updates its zoning and parking regulations. These changes will help the city comply with the People Over Parking Act and better reflect current development goals. Once adopted, they will remove barriers to development and encourage growth near existing transit infrastructure.

Park Ridge

The City of Park Ridge will partner with NITA to update the City's parking regulations in all transit-served areas of the city and adjust zoning regulations around the Dee Road Metra station. The changes will bring local parking regulations into compliance with the People Over Parking Act and advance the city’s vision for walkable, accessible station areas with a mix of land uses.

Skokie

NITA will assist the Village of Skokie as it modernizes its zoning code, with a specific focus on parking regulations. The Village plans to update existing land use regulations, reduce, and in areas subject to the People Over Parking Act, eliminate off-street parking requirements, and streamline the permit approval/development review process.

These amendments will align the Village parking regulations with the People Over Parking Act and will advance their vision to add density, offer attainable housing options, and prioritize access to transit for people walking and biking.

Together, these 10 projects will help communities prepare for growth, remove barriers to development and make it easier for people to reach homes, jobs, businesses and public transportation. Learn more about the RTA’s Community Planning program and current projects