Key Dates

Evaluate alternatives on an interative basis.  An initial screening will eliminate unreasonable alternatives that (1) do not meaningfully address the draft  purpose and need that was identified in the first pase of this project or (2) are not constructable, even when the concept is modified to address design guidelines.  A second screening will include safety and transportation benefits of each alternative along with the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of the project, including impacts on cultural resources.  A third, final screening may include analysis of traffic impacts, bicycle and pedestrian access, access to transit, maintenance of traffic, and right-of-way impacts including displacement of businesses and households.

Based on the third screening, a preliminary short list of alternatives will be developed and provided for Project Study Group and Community Advisory Group review.  After addressing review and comments, a cost estimate based on estimated quantities and estimated right-of-way costs will be developed for each of the alternatives identified to be carried forward.  

Review process:

- IDOT/FHWA Coordination

- Project Study Group and Community Advisory Group Involvement

- Public and stakeholder review of findings

Deliverables:

- Comprehensive report detailing the evaluation of alternatives

- High-level summary of findings

Working from the draft Purpose and Need statement, other prior project work, and stakeholder engagement, the team will develop evaluation criteria sufficient to understand the transportation, environmental, and socio-economic impacts of each alternative.

For each of the selected evaluation criteria, a method shall be established with necessary geographic, alignment or data information sufficient to complete the evaluation for each alternative.

Impacts on low-income and minority households will be considered. Impacts on cultural assets will also be considered.

Review:

- Develop information system necessary to complete the evaluation

- IDOT/FHWA coordination

- Project study group and community advisory group involvement

- Public and stakeholder involvement in review.

Deliverable:

- Identify evaluation criteria

Working from the purpose and need statement, several types of projects – grade-separated crossings, rail operations improvements, transit station improvements, and/or intelligent transportation systems improvements – may be contemplated. Grade separations may include road-over-rail, road-under-rail, rail-overexisting road, and rail-under-road options. Combinations may be possible, e.g., both raising a rail elevation and lowering a highway elevation. New roadway alignments and/or a temporary rail shoofly may also be necessary. In addition, grade-separated pedestrian and bike facilities may be considered either in proximity or more distant from improvements for motor vehicles.

Some alternatives may be developed with multiple configurations, or grouped with complementary improvements, each evaluated separately but to be carried forward together.

Alternatives from the public and stakeholders will be welcome. Such alternatives already identified during the completed phase of the project will also be carried forward, as appropriate, to this phase.

The public comment period for the Purpose and Need is now open and closes on this day at 11:59 p.m. Please submit your comments via the forum on this page or by emailing Tom Murtha at tmurtha@cmap.illinois.gov. 

Using the alternatives evaluation, the consultant will work with CMAP, the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways, the Illinois Department of Transportation, and local agencies to identify the alternatives to carry forward to phase-I engineering.  

Review:

- IDOT/FHWA coordination

- Project Study Group and Community Advisory Group involvement

- Public and stakeholder involvement

Deliverables: 

- A description of alternatives to be carried forward in subsequent project and environmental studies

- A planning/feasibility-level cost analysis of each alternative to be carried forward

- Documentation of federal and state concurrence for the alternatives development and screening process