Policy Analysis

The purpose of this study is to utilize an innovative online engagement method to generate high quality and representative input from the public regarding priorities and ideas for the transportation network in Illinois.

To provide a better understanding of how the Capital Improvement Grant program works, this report traces the origins and history of the evolution of this funding program at the federal level, combined with a review of the program’s administration across different metropolitan areas around the country.

The purpose of this study is to estimate the fare elasticity from the reduction in ADA Special Services Paratransit fare from the present levels (suburban Cook and DuPage $3.00, Lake, Kane, McHenry and Will $2.50, city of Chicago $2.25, and various downstate fares – see Appendix Table B3) to a free fare.

The objective of this study was to produce a research report that provides IDOT with an analysis of the Illinois Maritime Transportation System in order to effectively plan, develop and implement maritime into a comprehensive statewide transportation system.

As an exploratory step toward addressing truck parking problems in urban areas, this study analyzed truck parking citation data in Chicago to identify factors that affect concentration of high density of violations.

At the current time, several transit agencies around the country are making use of Bus on Shoulders (BOS) as an operating strategy. Pace Suburban Bus has conducted preliminary feasibility work on this topic and has identified several corridors where such a strategy might relieve congestion in the Chicago metropolitan area. However, a more detailed study is required to evaluate institutional issues related to BOS operations and design in the Chicago metropolitan area and potentially identify facilities where BOS strategies can be implemented.

The state needs to create mechanisms both internally and in collaboration with the freight industry to track and understand what is being developed and introduced and plan for what needs to be done to promote and accommodate the new technology.

 The objective was to synthesize best practices on planning, financial and operating partnerships and models of coordination among stakeholders in employment and human services transportation.

Researchers set out to demonstrate how selection among different types of station coverage infrastructure may mitigate the loss of ridership due to extreme weather.

Measure performance of public transit to reach healthcare facilities in Chicago.

The objective of the research is to provide recommendations for the development of a performance measurement system for general freight transportation as well as specifically for maritime freight transportation in Illinois.

The focus of this study was to develop cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit indicators for FTA’s Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) program.

Present research and implementation options as a foundation for future efforts by interested organizations to consider and adopt strategies and methods to shift more deliveries to off-peak times.

The main components of the Ph.D. program are course-work, research projects, and the Intelligent Traveler Assistant (ITA) experimental prototype that demonstrates the research results. Some of the research projects and the prototype will be done in collaboration with our partners through internships.

The research for this paper has been guided by this goal: everyone in the Chicago area should have integrated, ubiquitous and affordable mobility options, while public and private resources are used efficiently and effectively toward that end.

This paper studies strategic level train operation planning on shared use passenger and freight rail corridors. We explicitly consider passenger schedule delay and freight foregone demand as a function of train schedules, which are largely ignored in previous research. In particular, incorporating passenger schedule delay makes the passenger train scheduling a quadratic integer programming problem.

The objective of this study was to examine ways in which integrating transportation modes may improve mobility in the region. The study is needed due to the high levels of congestion on roadways in northeastern Illinois.

The research team collaborated with the Lake County Coordinated Transportation Committee to conduct a transit needs assessment of elderly and disabled residents and inventory of existing services in order to identify gaps in service and opportunities for coordination.

The city of Waukegan requested the UTC to assist it examine and review current as well as future transportation needs, including enhanced Metra reverse commute service to the County. At the same time the city of Waukegan became aware that the City of North Chicago, as well as area employers, had similar needs and concerns. The goal of the group is to identify common transportation needs among the members, create a strategy to address the needs, lack of direct transit service to area employers as well as overcome existing mobility barriers and develop an organizational structure consisting of stakeholders that will best achieve the goal.

This report represents a snapshot of the impact of the intended coordinated Human Services Transportation planning throughout Illinois to date, and discusses promising practices, enduring issues and challenges, and provides recommendations for potential enhancements.