The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Innovative, Coordination and Enhancement (ICE) program provided funding for bus shelters along Randall Road, offering relief for passengers traveling during inclement weather.
Through $880,00 in grants from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the RTA ICE program, bus shelters and pads have been installed as recommended in the Kane County Randall Road Pace Route 529 Plan, the village of South Elgin, Ill., Transit Improvement Plan, and the Kane County 2040 Long Range Transit Plan Community Planning projects.
“Riders along Pace Routes 529 and 801 can now enjoy bus shelters that will shield them from the rain and snow. The new pads and shelters will especially benefit our riders with disabilities, as they no longer have to wait in the grass in their wheelchairs or other mobility aids.” said Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke, adding that this project will lead to a greater cause.
“The implementation of the bus shelters and pads is the first step to enhancing how riders access transit in our region. We anticipate that these improvements will increase ridership along Randall Road. With increased transit use along the corridor, we can look into the possibility of transit expansion with buses along this route, connecting riders to future bus-on-shoulder routes that will take riders to O’Hare airport. Another added value that will save riders money and time,” Schielke said.
Additionally, Pace received a $2.4 million Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant that addressed pedestrian improvements along Pace route 529 as recommended in the RTA-funded Kane County Randall Road Pace Route 529 Community Planning study. The Kane County Department of Transportation was awarded $1.3 million in CMAQ funding for the installation of bus shelters, waiting pads, crosswalk markings, pedestrian signals, accessible ramps and sidewalks along Pace Route 801, as recommended in the South Elgin Transit Improvement Plan and Kane County 2040 Long Range Transit Plan Community Planning projects.
These improvements stemmed from the installation of bus pads and shelters, sidewalk connections and other amenities to improve riders’ commute.
“These projects meet real needs of transit riders and are ‘concrete’ examples of the work the RTA does every day,” said RTA Acting Executive Director Leanne Redden. “One of our goals is to eliminate barriers that may exist to a person riding our transit system, and these capital projects literally build the connections necessary to retain current riders and attract new ones.”
These are just a few of the projects funded with the $20.8 million in capital dollars from various sources that help to implement recommendations from the RTA’s Five-Year Strategic Plan. The plan’s goals, developed in collaboration with the CTA, Metra and Pace, include providing valuable, reliable, accessible and attractive transportation options throughout the region.
