South Suburbs secure funding for sidewalks & access to transit

The RTA Access to Transit program has received funding from the Federal Transit Administration through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program for seven projects that will improve bike and pedestrian access to the regional transit system. A total of $4.03 million — consisting of roughly $3.2 million in federal funds, $248,000 in local funds and $558,000 in RTA funds — will be invested in sidewalks, crosswalks, bus shelters, signage, covered bike parking, and other capital improvements at transit stations and along bus routes. Read more.

Four of the seven projects are in the south suburbs. They include:

· Blue Island, Cook County (Pedestrian and bicycle access improvements): Constructing a sidewalk and providing pedestrian connection on Irving Avenue, between New Street and Vermont Street, at the Blue Island Metra stations on the Rock Island District Line and the Metra Electric District Line. Provide on-street bike lanes along Irving Avenue and connection to Cal Sag Regional Trail. Reconstruction and reconfiguration of Irving Avenue between New Street and Vermont Street for one-way northbound traffic. Resurfacing and parkway beautification of Irving Avenue between New Street and York Street.

· Calumet Park, Cook County (Pedestrian and bicycle access improvements): Approximately 2,050 linear feet of new and improved sidewalks, two new pedestrian crosswalks, and a covered bike shelter at the Ashland Metra station.

· Midlothian, Cook County (Pedestrian access improvements): Installation of a sidewalk along the northwest side of the Rock Island District right-of-way, between Pulaski Road and the pedestrian bridge in the Metra parking lot just south of 147th Street that crosses Midlothian Creek. Additionally, the bridge across Midlothian Creek will be made ADA accessible, parking spaces at the bridge will be converted to accessible spaces, and a crosswalk is also being considered to connect improvements to residences across Pulaski Road.

· Park Forest, Cook County (Pedestrian access improvements): Installation of a sidewalk along the south side of Lincoln Highway / US30 from Orchard Drive, east to the Village limits. Completes a sidewalk gap along Lincoln Highway within the Village to the 211th Street Metra Electric station and provides greater access to Pace bus service.