RTA funds rail access improvements in Illinois

The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) last week announced $95,000 in funding through its Access to Transit program to help two communities in northeastern Illinois complete Phase I engineering for projects that will improve pedestrian and bicycle access to rail transit.

The RTA board approved funding for the following rail-related projects: 

• $50,000 to build a side path along University Parkway that will connect the University Park Metra Station to the Interstate 57 Industrial Corridor; and 
• $45,000 to improve pedestrian access long US Route 14, Illinois Route 173, Marengo Road and Ayer Street to better connect residents to the Harvard Metra Station. 

The University Park sidewalk project will create a multimodal connection between transit and a growing employment center that will make it easier and safe for workers to access jobs via transit, RTA officials said in a press release.

“Helping high need communities complete Phase I engineering opens the door for them to access larger state or federal programs for construction funding,” RTA officials said.

The RTA launched the Access to Transit program in 2012 to support small-scale capital projects that improve multimodal connections to public transportation.