This page contains brief descriptions of some project proposals for which less information is available. This information will be updated and expanded as project evaluation occurs.
Tollway Transit System
Advanced express bus services utilizing over the road (e.g. charter level) bus equipment and vehicle locator and technologies have been proposed for service on I-90 Jane Addams Memorial Tollway and on I-294 Tri State Tollway.
BNSF Montgomery Extension
This proposal calls for extending BNSF Metra Service west to Montgomery from the Aurora terminal, presumably along existing BNSF RR right-of-way.
BNSF Sugar Grove Extension
This proposal calls for extending BNSF Metra Service west to Sugar Grove from the Aurora terminal.
UP-NW Extension to Richmond
This proposal calls for extending the McHenry branch of the UP NW Metra Line to Richmond, near the Illinois-Wisconsin border.
I-294 at I-57 Interchange Addition
A new full interchange at the crossing of I-294 and I-57 in South Cook County is expected to improve the accessibility of the south and southwest suburbs.
I-55 HOV
A high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane facility is proposed to be added on I-55, from I-355 to I-90/94. Other ways of managing the resulting additional lanes such as High-Occupancy Toll (HOT), congestion pricing, dynamic pricing, or truck-only lanes have also been discussed.
CCP RR Service from Burlington
This proposal calls for implementing commuter rail service from Burlington IL (NW Kane County) along the CCP RR right-of-way. This new service can be connected to the current Milwaukee District-West or Union Pacific-West service lines.
Inner Circumferential Rail Service
This proposal calls for an Inner Circumferential Rail Service to serve central Cook County between Midway and O’Hare Airports. A feasibility study for the Inner Circumferential Rail Line has been completed. The project will provide transportation choices for major regional activity centers. Portions of the project will encourage development in areas of existing infrastructure. The benefits are expected to include increased accessibility to communities for non-radial travel as well as improved mobility within the corridors. This will provide improved access to jobs and major activity centers which is expected to spur economic development along the project corridor, particularly at station locations.
The Inner Circumferential (IHB) portion of the STAR Line has been identified as a strategic rail freight corridor for the region by the rail freight industry. Compatibility with adjacent freight operations should be evaluated.
McHenry County Extension of Prairie Parkway
This proposal calls for the extension of the Prairie Parkway corridor north from the Kane County Line – roughly I-90- up to the Illinois Wisconsin border. No preliminary alignment has been submitted.
Prairie Parkway Southeast Extension
This proposal calls for extending the Prairie Parkway corridor from its junction with I-80 in Minooka southeast to I-57. However it remains unclear whether the intended terminus should be the proposed I-57 to IL 394 connector or further south to or near Kankakee.
West O’Hare Bypass
The proposed west O’Hare Bypass proposal consists of two sections. On the south, a new spur freeway is proposed to connect from the Tri-State to the extended Elgin-O’Hare expressway and the planned O’Hare western terminal. On the north, a new connection will link the proposed western terminal with the Northwest Tollway. Interchanges along the O’Hare Bypass are being examined at IL 72, Devon Avenue, the proposed western terminal, IL 19, and Green Street.
CTA Blue Line Extension to Schaumburg
This proposal calls for the extension of the CTA Blue Line from the O’Hare terminal to Schaumburg.
Gray Line LRT
The CTA is proposing to operate as its own service a rapid transit line on the current Metra Electric mainline and Metra Electric South Chicago Branch between Millenium Station and South Chicago-93rd Street with service all intermediate stations. Rather than operate with FRA compliant double-deck equipment it would operate with higher performance LRT equipment with more frequency than presently provided by Metra service. This service will eventually be fully integrated into the CTA system. An additional branch – diverging south from 71st Street in former Stony Island Avenue median streetcar ROW, continuing east between 93rd and 95th street, then south along Torrence Avenue, terminating at 106th Street – is also proposed. This project has also been referred to the Gold Line for study and analysis purposes. Monorail System
This proposal calls for developing a monorail system across the NE Illinois region utilizing existing transportation facility ROWs where feasible. The multi -purpose non motorized Great Western Trail and Illinois Prairie Path in the western suburbs have been proposed as initial routes.
Rainbow Line
This proposal calls for establishing new rapid transit lines within the City of Chicago Boulevard System right-of-ways. The name of the proposal is inspired by the rainbow-like imprint of the main boulevard system. Two additional east-west branches, each roughly paralleling 95th Street and Lawrence Avenue respectively would be built in order to maximize connectivity with other rapid transit and commuter rail lines.
Illinois Transit System and Spider 10 System
This proposal features several elements. One is to develop a monorail transit system to replace the existing CTA rapid transit facilities. The second is to develop a “Spider 10” connective highway system to lead to all major arteries and highways.
O’Hare Direct
This proposal calls for establishing a network of express commuter trains linking O'Hare with Union Station and intermodal centers with remote parking lots in Barrington, Deerfield, Naperville and Homewood.
Transportation for the Future Now
This proposal calls for the implementation of an Electronic Mechanical Highway. This type of facility will incorporate automated vehicle guidance (AVG) and other advanced technologies to propel both specially designed new vehicles or retrofitted older vehicles in motion with little congestion-causing friction or conflict.