CMAP/CMAQ Funding Proposal
On July 1, 2021, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning's (CMAP) Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program's (CMAQ) project selection committee approved proposed funding for its FY 2022-26 program that includes tentative funding for 3 exciting Pace projects.
The proposed funding will be important components of Pace's Pulse Arterial Bus Rapid Transit and Bus on Shoulder (BoS) services:
Pulse 95th Street Construction
Pace's new rapid transit service, Pulse, provides enhanced express bus service to commuters using the latest technology and a streamlined route design. Pulse provides fast, frequent and reliable bus service in heavily traveled corridors of Chicagoland.
Service includes higher frequencies, travel time savings, station amenities including raised platforms for near-level boarding, semi-custom branded shelters, benches, trash receptacles, bike racks, a vertical marker with the Pulse brand, real time next-bus signage and route information and heating within the shelter. Transit Signal Priority (TSP) will also be implemented.
Pulse 95th Street Line is anticipated to run east-west between the CTA Red Line 95th/Dan Ryan Station in Chicago and Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills. With major destinations and local/regional connections to other Pace and CTA bus routes as well as Metra’s Rock Island Line and Southwest Service.
Pulse Dempster Operating Funding
Pace’s second Pulse line will operate on Dempster Street between Evanston and O’Hare International Airport with many connections to other Pace and CTA bus routes, CTA Yellow and Purple lines, Metra’s Union Pacific North, Northwest, and North Central Service rail lines.
This 15-mile Arterial Bus Rapid Transit (ART) will provide passengers with a variety of local and regional travel options and this funding will be for its 3rd year of operational funding.
See Pulse Dempster Line.
I-290 Bus on Shoulders Construction
Continuing with Pace's trendsetting Bus on Shoulder (BoS) services, future service on I-290 Eisenhower/Route 53 Expressways is being planned from the Des Plaines Ave/CTA Forest Park Blue Line station to Mannheim Ave and also from Higgins Road to Palatine Road in a non-continuous alignment based on roadway characteristics and available shoulder space.
Like Pace's I-55 Stevenson Expressway and I-94 Edens Expressway services, this project will again be in partnership with the Illinois Dept. of Transportation (IDOT).
