Chicagoland's Regional Transportation Authority Helping Deliver Local TOD Results

With funding from the Regional Transportation Authority, and the hard work of planners, suburban communities in the Chicago area are implementing a new wave of transit oriented developments (TODs).

An in-depth column by Mary Wisniewski examines the city of Bartlett as a case study of the growing trend toward transit oriented development. According to Wisniewski, Bartlett "got help putting together its transit-oriented development plan from the Regional Transportation Authority, the state-sponsored entity that oversees funding for Metra, the CTA and Pace."

"The plans include improvements to the village’s frequently flooded bike path, new crosswalks and new, multi-unit residential buildings and an office/retail building near the train," explains Wisniewski.

While Wisniewski ties Bartlett's TOD plans to a larger, nationwide trend, the regionwide efforts of the RTA don't go unnoticed. "The RTA has provided $20 million to support 187 community planning projects over the past 19 years, in suburbs such as Orland Park, Elmhurst and Evanston."

The article includes more about the history of Bartlett's TOD planning and development, while also sharing lessons learned from Bartlett and other cities in the RTA's purview.