Hillside developed its plan for accessible streets and sidewalks in 2024 and 2025. It examines how sidewalks, crosswalks, and pathways serve people with disabilities. The goal is to create streets that allow everyone to safely navigate their community. The plan is scheduled for adoption by the Hillside Village Board on Monday, November 17, 2025.
It has two phases: a self-evaluation and a transition plan. A Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) grant funds the plan. CMAP is leading efforts to develop these plans for several cities. For more on CMAP's work to help people with disabilities, see this link.
Questions? Contact Paul Smith, Hillside's Public Works Director. Call 708-202-3463 or email psmith@hillside-il.gov.
NOTICE: Hillside Village Board Adoption Hearing, November 17, 2025
The adoption hearing for Hillside's Plan for Accessible Streets and Sidewalks is scheduled for Monday, November 17 at 7:30 pm. More information on the meeting and agenda can be found on the Village's website.
What is a Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan?
Title II of the ADA prohibits Hillside from discriminating against people with disabilities. To prevent discrimination, the ADA requires a self-evaluation and transition plan. The plan identifies those responsible for implementing the plan.
Self-Evaluation
The self-evaluation of the streets and sidewalks focuses on identifying existing conditions by:
- Finding physical obstacles and policies that limit access.
- Seeking public input to develop the plan. This includes identifying where people face challenges in navigating sidewalks, crosswalks, and pathways.
Street features that may challenge people with disabilities are:
- Broken (or nonexistent) sidewalks.
- Intersections without curb ramps and crosswalks.
Inaccessible street parking.
These barriers can prevent people from accessing jobs, education, healthcare, and transit. They can also limit access to vital community services and amenities.
Transition Plan
This occurs after the Self-Evaluation is complete. It includes:
- Describing how facilities will meet ADA requirements. The focus is on key streets serving public buildings, parks, and transit.
- Developing a schedule to show when this will occur.
- Identifying policies and programs that impact street access for people with disabilities.
Hillside must also post public notices and grievance procedures required by the ADA.
Why is ADA compliance important?
Everyone has a right to use Hillside's sidewalks. Providing facilities that follow ADA requirements makes them usable for those with disabilities. It also allows their families and friends to go with them. Safe, accessible sidewalks and crosswalks serve strollers, kids, and seniors.
ADA compliance is also essential because it improves our region's resilience. Meeting federal requirements secures millions in transportation funding for our region.
Other interesting facts:
- New sidewalks, crossings, and traffic signals must meet applicable standards.
- Work zones must allow sidewalks and crossings to be usable. This is especially true when sidewalk detours are in place.
- The cost of improvements is never a reason not to make streets accessible.
- ADA requirements address many street features many take for granted:
- Sidewalk widths, surfaces, and slopes,
- Curb ramps at street corners and mid-block crosswalks,
- Pedestrian crossing signals (audible and vibrotactile features),
- Crosswalk push buttons and signal cycle timing,
- On-street and Electric Vehicle parking,
- Transit stops.
Who's leading this plan?
Hillside partnered with CMAP and Vitruvian Planning to develop the plan. More than 800,000 people in northeastern Illinois have one or more disabilities. This is why CMAP wants to improve accessibility in our region.
This effort is vital for all. It creates a fair, inclusive community. Northeastern Illinois needs to improve mobility and access. This helps economic opportunity and quality of life.
The ON TO 2050 plan aims for inclusive growth. It suggests ways to improve street access and create accessible housing. It also recommends supporting job pathways for people with disabilities.
We will tackle these challenges by working together. We want a region where everyone can thrive. Visit the main page for ON TO 2050 to learn more about this effort and how it fits into a larger vision.
Hillside developed its plan for accessible streets and sidewalks in 2024 and 2025. It examines how sidewalks, crosswalks, and pathways serve people with disabilities. The goal is to create streets that allow everyone to safely navigate their community. The plan is scheduled for adoption by the Hillside Village Board on Monday, November 17, 2025.
It has two phases: a self-evaluation and a transition plan. A Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) grant funds the plan. CMAP is leading efforts to develop these plans for several cities. For more on CMAP's work to help people with disabilities, see this link.
Questions? Contact Paul Smith, Hillside's Public Works Director. Call 708-202-3463 or email psmith@hillside-il.gov.
NOTICE: Hillside Village Board Adoption Hearing, November 17, 2025
The adoption hearing for Hillside's Plan for Accessible Streets and Sidewalks is scheduled for Monday, November 17 at 7:30 pm. More information on the meeting and agenda can be found on the Village's website.
What is a Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan?
Title II of the ADA prohibits Hillside from discriminating against people with disabilities. To prevent discrimination, the ADA requires a self-evaluation and transition plan. The plan identifies those responsible for implementing the plan.
Self-Evaluation
The self-evaluation of the streets and sidewalks focuses on identifying existing conditions by:
- Finding physical obstacles and policies that limit access.
- Seeking public input to develop the plan. This includes identifying where people face challenges in navigating sidewalks, crosswalks, and pathways.
Street features that may challenge people with disabilities are:
- Broken (or nonexistent) sidewalks.
- Intersections without curb ramps and crosswalks.
Inaccessible street parking.
These barriers can prevent people from accessing jobs, education, healthcare, and transit. They can also limit access to vital community services and amenities.
Transition Plan
This occurs after the Self-Evaluation is complete. It includes:
- Describing how facilities will meet ADA requirements. The focus is on key streets serving public buildings, parks, and transit.
- Developing a schedule to show when this will occur.
- Identifying policies and programs that impact street access for people with disabilities.
Hillside must also post public notices and grievance procedures required by the ADA.
Why is ADA compliance important?
Everyone has a right to use Hillside's sidewalks. Providing facilities that follow ADA requirements makes them usable for those with disabilities. It also allows their families and friends to go with them. Safe, accessible sidewalks and crosswalks serve strollers, kids, and seniors.
ADA compliance is also essential because it improves our region's resilience. Meeting federal requirements secures millions in transportation funding for our region.
Other interesting facts:
- New sidewalks, crossings, and traffic signals must meet applicable standards.
- Work zones must allow sidewalks and crossings to be usable. This is especially true when sidewalk detours are in place.
- The cost of improvements is never a reason not to make streets accessible.
- ADA requirements address many street features many take for granted:
- Sidewalk widths, surfaces, and slopes,
- Curb ramps at street corners and mid-block crosswalks,
- Pedestrian crossing signals (audible and vibrotactile features),
- Crosswalk push buttons and signal cycle timing,
- On-street and Electric Vehicle parking,
- Transit stops.
Who's leading this plan?
Hillside partnered with CMAP and Vitruvian Planning to develop the plan. More than 800,000 people in northeastern Illinois have one or more disabilities. This is why CMAP wants to improve accessibility in our region.
This effort is vital for all. It creates a fair, inclusive community. Northeastern Illinois needs to improve mobility and access. This helps economic opportunity and quality of life.
The ON TO 2050 plan aims for inclusive growth. It suggests ways to improve street access and create accessible housing. It also recommends supporting job pathways for people with disabilities.
We will tackle these challenges by working together. We want a region where everyone can thrive. Visit the main page for ON TO 2050 to learn more about this effort and how it fits into a larger vision.
