Project update: Staff is currently recruiting for the Resident Action Council to guide decisions and shape engagement efforts, with the first meeting to be held in early summer. Visit the Story Map Existing Conditions page or the online engagement site.

​​​​​​​For the Garfield Green Line South station, CMAP is working with community groups and the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) to update the Community Work Plan put together by Elevated Chicago, with the specific goal of continuing the progress of turning the station into a community asset. The project team will also review past plan recommendations to understand where progress has been made, and where barriers remain.

The project seeks to understand the impact that decades of disinvestment have had and work to change the narrative around a community with strong, positive amenities – including Washington Park, local businesses, XS Tennis, Sweetwater Foundation, and DuSable Museum. 

A more equitable approach to development around transit is needed--one that prioritizes the retention of residents and businesses, and allows for more inclusive growth around transit. Following Elevated Chicago’s work, this project will establish a set of community-driven priorities targeting People, Places and Process in support of equitable Transit-Oriented Development (eTOD).  

Elevated Chicago is a collaboration of 17 public, private and nonprofit organizations, including CMAP, that have come together to build equity into transit-oriented development in Chicago by improving health, safety, climate resilience, and cultural vitality indicators of people of color living and working near transit.

Elevated Chicago started its work around seven CTA train stations, establishing eHubs (equitable hubs), within the ½-mile radius circle around each station. The eHubs are generally grouped into four geographies: Logan Square Blue Line station, California Pink Line station, Kedzie/Lake Green Line and Kedzie-Homan Blue Line (Kedzie Corridor) stations, and 51^st Street, Garfield, and 63^rd Street Green Line stations. This LTA project will be working specifically with the Garfield Green Line South station.

April 2021

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Staff developed an outreach plan, a promotional poster, and began the process of reaching out to stakeholders and residents about the project. An interest form was created for the Resident Action Council. CMAP discussed with CDOT potential ways to engage city engineers earlier in the process to develop clear, actionable recommendations.

March 2021

​​​​​​​Staff outlined objectives and responsibilities of the Resident Advisory Council and formalized the budget agreement for engagement with RTA, Emerald South, and Elevated.

February 2021

In February, we launched the Story Maps website as well as the online engagement website where people can learn more about the project and submit their feedback and ideas. The next step is to clarify outreach and engagement at the local level, including finding interested parties for the Resident Advisory Council (RAC) and spreading the word about the online survey and the ideas page.

January 2021

The Story Maps webpage was developed to convey the existing conditions and document important historic events. Additionally, the engagement site was created and the two will be linked together.

The public will have several opportunities to participate in the planning process. The Green Line South Elevated Community Table, RTA, and CMAP will embark on a series of meetings and activities with residents and community stakeholders to solicit and incorporate local input to the planning process. Please reach out to the project manager if you have activities or events that you think we should attend, or people we should connect with. We encourage you to visit this web page regularly for updates and opportunities to participate in the development of the plan.

Public events

• Community Days at Overton Elementary School, June 19th 10am-2pm
• Community Day at Garfield CTA station, June 26th, time TBD.

The project had its first kick-off meeting with the working group partners in January 2020. CMAP staff researched area history and previous plans undertaken in the community and published the report as an interactive website. The overall project schedule is two years, with outreach and engagement planned for summer and fall of 2021, and continuing into early 2022.

Leslé Honoré, Green Line South Community Table Representative

Ghian Foreman, Green Line South Community Table Representative

Lindsay Bayley, CMAP Senior Planner (lbayley@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8826)

Michael Horsting, RTA Local Planning Manager, (HorstingM@rtachicago.org or 312-913-3159)