Common questions

As a federally recognized Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), CMAP is required to develop a transportation plan every four years. The plan must identify regional transportation goals, objectives, strategies, and investment priorities that guide decision making and funding allocation within the region. 

The RTP will build on the principles and goals identified in ON TO 2050. The RTP will primarily focus on updating the transportation components of the plan.  

Over a multiyear period, CMAP staff will help develop the RTP through comprehensive research, data analysis, policy development, stakeholder coordination, and public outreach. The plan will identify goals and objectives for the regional transportation system, as well as strategies to help achieve them.   

CMAP’s Board and MPO Policy Committee are the primary approvers of the RTP, which is due for adoption by October 2026. 

Local governments, transit agencies, and the Illinois Department of Transportation will work together with CMAP to fund, design, and execute transportation projects aligned with the RTP.