Travel Market Analysis
The Cook DuPage Corridor Study consists of three phases to ensure efficient and informed decision-making:
• Travel Market Analysis
• Options and Feasibility
• Alternatives Analysis
The Travel Market Analysis is the foundation of the Cook DuPage Corridor study-- it provides essential data and analysis of Corridor travel patterns to guide smart investments in transportation improvements within the Corridor. The first stage in a three-step corridor planning process, the Travel Market Analysis was completed in December 2005. The resulting report provides a comprehensive picture of demographics, travel patterns, transportation options, and key mobility issues in the study area.
The analysis defined nine major commute travel patterns affecting the Corridor and concludes with four key mobility issues impacting the Cook DuPage Corridor:
• Transit Access to Major Employment Centers: Transit is not an option for most inter-suburban and reverse commuters traveling to major employment centers in the corridor. This includes locations in the Warrenville/Naperville, Yorktown, Oakbrook, Thorndale Avenue , and Maywood areas.
• Service Quality of Bus Transit: Slow speeds, multiple transfers, and CTA-Pace schedule conflicts lead to unreasonably long travel time for the distance traveled.
• Service Quality of I-290: Congestion on the Eisenhower negatively impacts travel throughout the region.
• Service Quality of Arterials: Rush-hour travel times are lengthened by inefficient stop-and-go traffic and congestion on arterials.
These findings are the top priorities of the next phase of this study, during which potential transportation improvements are being developed and evaluated.
TMA Executive Summary (234 Kb)
TMA Report (14.5 Mb)
Options Feasibility
The Cook DuPage Corridor Study consists of three phases to ensure efficient and informed decision-making:
• Travel Market Analysis
• Options and Feasibility
• Alternatives Analysis
At the onset of this phase, a broad range of potential transportation improvements will be developed based on findings from the Travel Market Analysis, project proposals and strategies listed in the region's current Long Range Plan, and ideas generated from committee members, the public and the consultant team. These options may include starting new transit services, adding lanes on highways and arterials, and improving coordination of bus and rail services, as examples. Each option will present a different combination of improvements to the existing, multi-modal transportation system.
At the same time, local planning partners will create a set of Corridor Planning Standards -- specific measures addressing safety, mobility, efficiency and local values -- during the Options phase. The development of these criteria will help establish a vision for the Corridor transportation system and its integration with Corridor communities.
Each option will be measured as to how well it achieves the goals and objectives for Corridor mobility solutions. As the analysis progresses, the less feasible and more ineffective options will gradually be eliminated. Meanwhile, the more feasible options will be further detailed and strengthened. A resulting short-list of options will be submitted for further analysis in the Alternatives Analysis stage of the study, when travel modeling work will be undertaken.
• Draft Preliminary Statement of Purpose and Need (2.01 Mb)
• Potential Goals and Objectives (126 Kb)
• Evaluation Methodology Report (164 Kb)
Alternatives Analysis
The Cook DuPage Corridor Study consists of three phases to ensure efficient and informed decision-making:
• Travel Market Analysis
• Options and Feasibility
• Alternatives Analysis
In the Alternatives Analysis, planning partners will further refine and assess potential new projects from the Options Feasibility phase. The RTA will detail the necessary technologies, mode, alignment, and investment levels for each alternative, and undertake computer modeling to understand the impact on the regional transportation system.
Corridor municipalities and regional planning bodies will ultimately select the locally preferred alternative(s) based on factors such as mobility needs met and cost effectiveness. In addition, the RTA will assist local communities in planning transit supportive land use and development policies, as well as identifying financial sources for major transportation investments.
Upon completion of the Alternatives Analysis, the respective operating agencies will be responsible for implementing these proposals. This involves advancing selected projects through federal planning, environmental and funding processes.
Alternatives Analysis requirements differ by project type, by project cost, by anticipated funding source, and by the potential extent of environmental impact. Additional information on the planning and project development processes/requirements for major transit and highway capital investments is available at:
Federal Transit Administration
www.fta.dot.gov/16363_ENG_HTML.htm
www.fta.dot.gov/grant_programs/transportation_planning/major_investment/9924_ENG_HTML.htm
Federal Highway Administration
www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/index.htm
www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/alts.htm
