Planning Programs and Projects

The plan was reviewed and adopted by the Chicago Plan Commission on December 20, 2018. The CTA completed station renovation work in 2019. The RTA further supported implementation activities by convening a panel of developer experts in June of 2021 to provide detailed guidance to attract infill redevelopment along Milwaukee Avenue.

During the summer of 2021 the People's Alley identified in the plan will be constructed in the alley between 4870 N Milwaukee and 5438 W Higgins. The alley will feaure a pedestrian plaza, new pavers, decorative overhead lights, seating and an identifying arch at the entrance.

In January of 2021 Chicago's City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate unanimously voted to approve the sale of the property at 4841 N. Lipps Ave., formerly the Jefferson Park Firehouse, to a developer with plans to convert it into a mixed used development, with a first floor brewery with residential units on the upper floors.

In June 2021 the RTA convened a Developer Discussion Panel in Chicago's 45th Ward to gather guidance and advice from development experts. The objective was to further strategize on ways to attract development to vacant sites and encourage infill development. The Developer Discussion Panelist helped the Ward Alderman and the City determine goals and needs in order to best utilize vacant land along North Milwaukee Avenue near the Jefferson Park Transportation Center.

The developer discussion was held on December 6, 2016. A report summarizing the recommendations made by the panelists is included under Related Reports.

As recommended in the report, the City purchased the Des Plaines Theater in 2018 with the intent to renovate and reopen the 95-year old destination. The newly renovated opened to the public again in late summer 2021.

The final report was completed in November of 2018 has been shared with Pace and members of the steering committee. Rezoning work is talking place in 2021 and 2022 along the sections of Harlem Ave within Riverside and Berwyn, as recommended in the plan.

Shortly after completion of the Plan the City of Aurora began construction of pedestrian access and related multi-modal improvements within the study area defined by the Pedestrian Access to Transit Improvement Plan. The improvements include: 1) Modifying the existing ATC parking lots to improve pedestrian and multi-modal safety and access. 2) Relocating the Pace bus transfer area to the east side of the commuter parking lot to reduce bus delay which will reduce vehicle/bus/pedestrian conflict and increase bus efficiently. 3) Constructing a 750 foot bridge over the Fox River, to provide connections to TOD areas on the other side of the river and to the Fox River Trail (Completed in April 2021),  4) Constructing new parking lots on the west side of the Fox River. 5) Installing new traffic signals and intersection improvements on Broadway Avenue.

The project was supported by Federal funding from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning's (CMAP) Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Grant Program (CMAQ). Local support was provided by the City of Aurora and Kane County Forest Preserve District, with in-kind support from Fox Valley Park District, Pace, IDOT, Metra, and BNSF. The project was completed in the summer of 2024.

For more information see ATC Progress