UPDATE: The Crystal Lake Transportation Plan has been adopted by the City of Crystal Lake and is now available for download!
The City of Crystal Lake, located in southeast McHenry County, traces its origins to two separate communities founded around the railroad system that linked residents to Chicago. Today numerous commuters travel via the Union Pacific Northwest Metra rail line and also rely heavily on the City's streets to get to their final destinations. To plan for continued livability, the City's 2030 Comprehensive Plan seeks to provide a transportation system that safely and efficiently serves current and future land uses, including travel by road, rail, public transportation, bicycle, and foot. In order meet this goal, the City is developing a transportation master plan with strategies to make Crystal Lake streets safe for all users.
With support from CMAP's Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program, the transportation master plan was developed through a community-based process that reflects the interests and diverse needs of Crystal Lake. The intent of the plan is to outline the policies and strategies needed to ensure the transportation system serves the needs of all travelers. The plan builds upon the community's assets and identifies ways to support goals from the 2030 Crystal Lake Comprehensive Plan, as well as the GO TO 2040 comprehensive regional plan. The 2030 Comprehensive Plan specifically recommends reducing community reliance on automobiles and making transit, bicycling, and walking an easy transportation alternative for residents.
This planning process consisted of three main phases. The first phase involved a thorough analysis of the existing conditions within the community using information gathered through steering committee meetings, one-on-one stakeholder interviews, review of previous studies, and collection of maps and data. During the second phase, initial recommendations were created and vetted with the project's steering committee and city staff. The final phase included plan creation, community feedback, and plan adoption.