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The Plan

Changing Direction: Transportation Choices for 2030 is the consensus recommendation of all eleven summits and the eight mini-summits. It calls for more safe and economical transportation choices in every part of the region, more re-investment in existing communities and more public participation in transportation planning.

Legislative Objectives

Click on the titles below to view a summary of recommendations for the state and national governments.

Illinois General Assembly

Restructure regional planning agencies.

  • Require extensive and meaningful public involvement.
  • Require that the Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS) be proportionally representative with a majority of members independent of the state department of transportation.
  • Ensure that land use decisions will precede and guide transportation investment decisions.
  • Authorize creation of a Freight Transportation Authority to enhance the economic opportunities of freight handling and minimize the air quality impacts.

    • Support transportation choice.

  • Set aside 33% of federal safety dollars to fund "Safe Routes to Schools."
  • Require that all road construction and rehabilitation projects serve multi-modal uses and are sensitive to community context.
  • Fund bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure at the same state-to-local ratio as roads, i.e. 80:20 versus 50:50.
  • Flex state and federal highway dollars into the transit fund.
  • Guarantee state funding to match federal funding opportunities.
  • Increase funding for track upgrades to support high speed rail service.

    • United States Congress

  • Ensure that Northeastern Illinois receives funds commensureate with its role as the core of the nation's economic and transportation systems.
  • Dedicate sufficient funds to alleviate impacts caused by one-third of the nation's domestic freight traveling through the region.
  • Reinforce the public involvement requirements of federal transportation law.
  • Work with the regional transportation agencies to provide ample funding for maintenance.
  • Provide new funding only for projects that have been approved in the Regional Transportation Plan.