North Shore Coordination Plan

North Shore Transit Service Coordination Plan and Market Analysis

Project Overview

Pace, in partnership with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), has initiated the North Shore Transit Service Coordination Plan and Market Analysis. This study will include a review of existing Pace and CTA routes in the North Shore area, including portions of the cities of Chicago and Evanston and the villages of Lincolnwood, Skokie and Wilmette. The primary goals of the project are to improve coordination of Pace and CTA services in the North Shore on overlapping corridors, as well as investigating opportunities for new service.

Other goals of the North Shore Coordination Plan include:

• Improve overall transit service in North Shore area
• Improving/optimizing coordination of Pace and CTA services by:
  • Studying existing travel demands and markets
  • Reviewing changes and new developments in the study area relative to prior service changes and planning efforts

Study Area

The study area is generally bounded by Lake Michigan on the east, I-94 on the west, Devon Avenue on the south, and Lake Avenue on the north (see map below for exact boundaries). The study area includes portions of the cities of Chicago and Evanston and the villages of Lincolnwood, Skokie and Wilmette.

Steering Committee

The North Shore Coordination Plan Steering Committee (SC) is comprised of representatives from key agencies and municipal staff. Committee participation is an important component of the study and will guide the North Shore Coordination Plan. Members are asked to provide their perspective on project goals, measures of success, technical elements, community outreach strategies, service alternatives, and preferred short and long term service improvement strategies. The SC is expected to convene 4-5 times over the course of the study. Click here for a list of SC members.

• SC Meeting #1 - March 31, 2016
  • Agenda
  • Presentation
• SC Meeting #2 - September 8, 2016
  • Presentation
• SC Meeting #3 - April 6, 2017
  • Agenda
  • Presentation

Public Meetings

Two public meetings will be held as part of the study process to inform and gather feedback and input from the public. The first public meeting (see below for more details) introduced the market analysis and preliminary service analysis, solicited feedback on the data analysis to date and the issues and perceptions of existing service, and identified critical gaps in the transit network.

The second public meeting will present the complete study methodology, findings to date, and the preferred service alternative for public comment. Additional information regarding public meeting times and locations will be posted here.

For study updates, including future meeting notices, please send your email address to Pace Customer Relations (contact below) to be included in the study mailing list.

Public Open Houses

Pace will hold open houses in September 2017 to update the public on proposed changes to routes in the North Shore area as a result of this study. One of the sessions will also include information about the Pulse Dempster Line, Pace's future rapid transit service which will serve the North Shore area.

Pace and CTA hosted two Open Houses on October 4, 2016 at the Chicago Public Library in Rogers Park and on October 5, 2016 at the Lincolnwood Community Center. The Open Houses provided an opportunity to introduce the study to the public and present an overview of initial findings from the on-board and general public surveys and the market analysis. Click on the link below to view the exhibit boards presented at the Open Houses.

• Open House Exhibit Boards

Surveys

Pace and CTA would like to thank everyone who completed the rider and non-rider surveys administered in May and June of 2016. The data gathered has been evaluated and reported on in the Market Analysis Report (see below) and will play an important role in designing improved services for the area.

Market Analysis Briefing Book

As of March 2017, the project team has developed a Market Analysis Briefing Book which provides a condensed summary of all existing conditions work that has been completed for the study. This includes highlights from the rider and non-rider surveys that were conducted in the spring of 2016, Pace and CTA ridership and on-time performance data, demographic analysis and other market-based findings.

Importantly, the Briefing Book establishes a set of recommendations based on the market analysis, which is currently being used to develop service concepts. The project team shared these recommendations and service concepts with the Steering Committee on April 6 and will refine service concepts into actual bus route alignments and service levels over the coming months.

Market Analysis Briefing Book

Study Timeline

Contact Us

For more information about the project, please contact:

Pace Customer Relations and mention the North Shore Coordination Plan.

Get e-mail updates when this information changes.