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Communities receive technical assistance to improve ADA compliance, strengthen accessibility
More than 20 communities throughout northeastern Illinois will receive technical assistance from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) to improve traffic safety, make travel more accessible, and help them prosper in the years ahead.
CMAP will work with communities and organizations throughout northeastern Illinois’ seven counties to strengthen compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); plan for improvements that protect people who are walking, biking, or rolling; better prepare for grant opportunities; and address long-term planning needs.
In particular, five communities will receive assistance with completing ADA self-evaluation and transition plans:
- Berwyn
- Chicago Heights
- La Grange Park
- Lemont
- Lincolnwood
Several other projects will also include a focus on improving safety for those walking or rolling — such as a bicycle and pedestrian plan for Richmond and a safety action plan for the Greater Ashburn Development Association.
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ADA training series: Join upcoming workshops on transition plans, design standards, and more
Municipal staff, elected officials, and other community leaders around the region gathered last week for a training on the ADA and Title II requirements. The event was part of CMAP's ADA training program series.
Participants spent the morning learning about the history of the ADA and the roles and responsibilities of municipalities under the act. Topics included requirements for government websites, facilities, programs, and more, and how to ensure public meetings are ADA-compliant. Participants also left with checklists and other useful resources to aid in compliance.
Interested in joining a training? Mark your calendar for upcoming dates:
The trainings will be held in person. Stay tuned for registration and location information. Participants are welcome to attend one or all of the trainings.
CMAP will announce more ADA workshops — hosted in a range of locations around the region — in the coming months. Contact accessibility@cmap.illinois.gov with any questions.
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CMAP planner joins Disability Lead leadership program
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Lincoln Edwards, an associate planner at CMAP, was recently named a fellow in Disability Lead's 2023 Institute.
The Institute is the only leadership program in the nation specifically for leaders with disabilities and that makes connections to opportunities for civic engagement and leadership. The fellows actively participate in a year-long program to grow as leaders and make changes in their communities.
Lincoln is one of 16 fellows selected from a competitive process. Originally from Philadelphia, Lincoln obtained his master's in planning at the University of Arizona in 2021. His professional passions include urban restoration, community revitalization, and universal design. He is also a member of CMAP's ADA planning team.
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Call for projects: Communities can apply now for transportation project funding
To help realize the regional principles of ON TO 2050 and help communities prosper, CMAP is currently accepting funding applications for surface transportation projects.
The call for projects opened January 17, and it lasts through Friday, March 10.
These programs can help fund projects that improve safety, transit (including access to transit), and bicycle or pedestrian facilities. They also help address freight and traffic movement, repair bridges, reconstruct roads, and invest in alternative fuel vehicles and equipment.
Funding for these projects will be distributed through the federal sources that CMAP manages, including the regional Surface Transportation Program Shared Fund, the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, the locally programmed Transportation Alternatives Program, and the new Carbon Reduction Program.
The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) means more money is available for programming these funds. IIJA also created the Carbon Reduction Program, which provides another funding source for projects designed to reduce transportation emissions.
Learn more about the call for projects at a virtual Q-and-A session from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 25. Attendees can ask questions at any time during the two-hour session.
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New agreement between IDOT and CDOT will help improve travel safety
A new agreement between the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) will make it easier to implement traffic safety features on local roads and state routes in Chicago.
The memorandum of understanding includes:
- A list of traffic safety infrastructure that won’t be subject to comprehensive IDOT review before installation, allowing the city to design and self-certify projects such as curb cuts and other sidewalk improvements to make streets safer and more accessible.
- Updated design standards to emphasize pedestrian safety at intersections. This will allow for additional safety features at certain state routes, such as curb extensions and bump-outs that shorten crossing distances for people walking or rolling.
- An IDOT-CDOT working group to enhance existing interagency collaboration.
The improved collaboration between CDOT and IDOT is intended to help address the alarming rise in traffic fatalities in our region, particularly among the most vulnerable road users — people walking, rolling, or biking.
"We are incredibly encouraged by CDOT and IDOT's commitment to drive meaningful and action-oriented strategies to improve safety," said Erin Aleman, executive director of CMAP. "It is only through close collaboration and partnership as a region that we will succeed in making our streets safer, more accessible and equitable, and most importantly, in saving lives."
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 Photo credit: Metra
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Share your thoughts: A mobility and accessibility improvement plan in Riverdale, plus other projects
The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) has chosen six new projects for its 2023 Community Planning program. The projects were submitted during a joint call for projects with CMAP last fall.
One of the projects will develop a mobility improvement and transit-oriented development action plan for the Village of Riverdale. The planning efforts will consider ADA-specific infrastructure needs and outline funding opportunities. The goals include improving access to all modes of transit, enhancing safety for residents of all abilities, and creating a guide to secure implementation funding for the village.
The other five projects will provide technical assistance in Joliet, University Park, Geneva, Des Plaines, and Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood.
Provide comment on the projects by emailing applications@rtachicago.org or filling out the online form by February 3. The final 2023 Community Planning program of projects will be announced at the RTA Board of Directors meeting in February.
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