Recommendation 
Leverage the transportation network to promote inclusive growth

In metropolitan Chicago, black and Hispanic residents experience persistent disparities including in employment, health, educational attainment, and income. These negative outcomes are worst for black residents, who also endure longer commutes than residents of other races or ethnicities. These residents are more often transit dependent, yet many must commute to jobs located far from frequent transit service. At the same time, these same residents tend to have limited employment opportunities within their own communities. Challenges are compounded for residents with disabilities, who have an unemployment rate that is twice that of those without disabilities. A significant number of people with disabilities cite lack of transportation as a barrier to employment.

Profile

Heather and Garland Armstrong have used every mode of transit to get around the Chicago region, often in ways that take more time or are more difficult because of their disabilities. 

Read Heather and Garland's story

 

Analysis shows that high levels of economic inequality are limiting our region’s ability to grow. Long-term regional economic prosperity requires that we address these issues and take action to increase opportunity and improve quality of life for all residents. Transportation can play a key role in creating pathways to opportunity for low income communities, people of color, and people with disabilities. Working with stakeholders, CMAP has identified EDAs to focus planning efforts and policy recommendations. Many residents of EDAs have limited options for transportation that would efficiently connect them to economic and other opportunities. This is particularly true for residents living in EDAs in the city of Chicago, where access to transit options does not always ensure access to jobs within a reasonable travel time. CMAP research shows that just 9 percent of residents in South and West side Chicago EDAs are employed nearby, compared to the economically connected areas of the city where 72 percent of residents live near their jobs.

Profile

Amorita Falcon's commute can take more than two hours one way. She says everyone in the region should have access a transportation system that more easily connects them to jobs and opportunity.

Read Amorita's story

 

Low income residents in the Chicago region use all modes of transportation to get around and are more likely to use active modes of transportation to get around than higher income residents. It is especially important to ensure equitable access to safe pedestrian and bicycle pedestrian facilities for low income residents.

Local strategy map

See where local employment, transit availability, and Economically Disconnected Areas overlap within the Chicago region.

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Meaningful progress toward achieving increased access to opportunity can only happen with intentional coordination among public and private actors to leverage technology, improve outreach and engagement, and direct transportation investments where they can have needed impacts.

The following describes strategies and associated actions to implement this recommendation.

Increase authentic, responsive engagement of underrepresented communities in planning and development

The state of the practice for outreach and engagement in transportation planning and programming processes has advanced significantly beyond 30-day public comment periods, one-time public hearings held in government offices, and public notices posted only in newspapers and on public bulletin boards. Technology has enabled new pathways for residents to connect with the people responsible for the transportation system, but many people continue to experience barriers to productively engaging with the public planning processes.

The demographics of those engaged in planning processes may not necessarily reflect the demographics of the affected community; often low income residents have work schedules that make participation in traditional planning processes difficult. People with disabilities may face transportation or other barriers to participation in planning processes. Also, low income communities, people of color, and immigrants have valid and historic reasons to limit their exposure to government. And while the digital divide has narrowed in recent years, some populations continue to have inadequate Internet access. Therefore, it is increasingly important that CMAP and other transportation agencies redouble their public engagement. Practices to emphasize include exploring and deploying new culturally relevant outreach methods to assess the transportation-related needs, values, and attitudes among low income communities, people of color,  immigrants, and people with disabilities; allowing for more localized ownership of the planning process; and establishing performance measures that track progress toward reflecting community demographics.

Build capacity for disinvested communities to develop, fund, and maintain transportation infrastructure

Some parts of the region were left behind by growth over many decades, often having lost substantial population, jobs, businesses, and resources. Promoting growth in these areas will require collaborative and comprehensive investment at all levels of government and civic organizations. Disinvested areas significantly overlap the EDAs defined within ON TO 2050, while also including adjacent commercial and industrial areas that have experienced a loss of economic activity over sustained periods of time.

The local governments that serve disinvested areas tend to have lower staff and technical resources, due to lower tax bases and fewer financial resources available. This impairs their ability to maintain existing infrastructure and to access regional and federal transportation resources for reconstruction and improvement projects. Accessing these public resources requires not only matching local funds, but also significant and costly predevelopment investments such as feasibility studies and engineering, which may make projects infeasible for some low capacity municipalities. These communities also tend to have higher concentrations of low income households and people of color, further increasing disparities in transportation infrastructure.

Improve commute options between disinvested areas and employment, education and training, and service opportunities

While investing in frequent service on high ridership corridors, transportation agencies must also find ways to improve mobility for low income residents and communities in areas with limited transit service or travel needs that are not well served by traditional transit options. Shared mobility, including private ride-hailing services, and automated vehicle technologies have the potential to provide more frequent and direct service in low income neighborhoods, improving connections to jobs that may currently require long transit trips or connecting multiple modes. To ensure that these options are equitable, they must be affordable for residents and there must be public accountability for changes to fares and levels of service. In some cases, the most effective mode of travel may be a personal automobile, and transportation implementers should consider ways to ensure equitable access to tolled facilities. For example, The Tollway developed I-PASS Assist to help income-eligible drivers to easily and affordably obtain an I-PASS. I-PASS Assist works like a standard I-PASS account, but allows eligible drivers to purchase at a discount of $20. CMAP can play a role in identifying gaps in the transportation system for economically disconnected communities, and work with public transit agencies and private sector partners to identify solutions.

Improve access to public rights of way for pedestrians, cyclists, and people with disabilities

People who rely on walking, bicycling, or wheelchairs need accessible pathways. Especially in suburban areas, low income residents are more likely to rely on low-cost modes than higher income residents to reach employment, services, and other destinations. When bicycling facilities and sidewalks are in need of repair, are missing, or are not designed for people with disabilities, they limit employment and other options for engagement in the community. Facilities must safely connect suburban and low income communities to jobs, amenities, and the region’s growing bicycle network.

Making sure that public rights of way provide safe pathways for people using active transportation and people with disabilities is an important strategy for inclusive economic growth. While the U.S. Access Board continues to finalize federal Accessibility Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way (PROWAG) as proposed in 2011, U.S. DOT recognizes PROWAG as current best practice that some states have already begun incorporating into their own design manuals and other regulatory documents.

Assess the health impacts of substantial transportation and development projects

Health Impact Assessments (HIAs) are powerful tools for making informed decisions that improve public health through community design that can positively affect health equity. While Environmental Impact Statements have become standard procedure for making sound development decisions and protect environmental interests, HIAs are still underutilized in project selection and development. Effective use of HIAs highlights how specific developments affect health in certain populations, helping to address health inequities by prioritizing key transportation and infrastructure projects in low income and disinvested communities. CMAP and partners should develop materials and trainings for local governments looking to conduct HIAs that use health equity concepts and goals in the planning and development processes of major transportation and infrastructure projects.