A long-term blueprint for northeastern Illinois’ transportation future The 2026 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) guides how northeastern Illinois will invest in and improve its transportation system through 2050. Created in partnership with local governments, transportation agencies, community organizations, and residents across northeastern Illinois, the RTP defines shared goals and strategies for a more connected, reliable, and accessible system. It builds on the vision established in ON TO 2050, and fulfills federal requirements for planning a multimodal transportation network — including transit, roads, highways, freight, biking, walking, and accessible transportation for all users. The CMAP Board and MPO Policy Committee unanimously adopted the 2026 RTP in October 2026. The adopted plan will guide regional transportation planning, investment decisions, and coordination across northeastern Illinois over the next several decades. Explore the 2026 Regional Transportation Plan Click on the covers below to read the adopted plan. 2026 Regional Transportation Plan Download pdf 18.97 MB 2026 Plan de Transporte Regional Download pdf 4.48 MB 2026 RTP Executive Summary Download pdf 536.81 KB Access technical reports, policy briefs, appendices, public engagement materials, and related documents. View resources and appendices Goals for the region’s transportation future The 2026 RTP is organized around five goals and objectives that guide transportation planning, investment, and implementation across northeastern Illinois. Connections Safety Resilience Prosperity Preservation Connections Strengthen connections between people and places Objectives: Improve reliability and manage congestion Improve incident detection and management Expand multimodal access Achieve universal ADA accessibility Safety Prioritize safety and public health Objectives: Advance Safe System Approach policies and practices Prioritize speed management Improve the safety of active transportation infrastructure Foster public health Resilience Mitigate pollution and invest in resilient infrastructure Objectives: Reduce pollution from the transportation sector Improve the resilience of infrastructure vulnerable to extreme weather Protect natural resources Prosperity Support economic prosperity and inclusive growth Objectives: Leverage the transportation system to support local development goals Prioritize multimodal access to regional employment and economic centers Promote the efficiency of the national freight network in the region Foster a high quality of life in communities adjacent to freight activity Preservation Strategically govern, fund, and preserve the transportation system Objectives: Fund the preservation of the existing system Prioritize projects that maximize benefits Maintain and expand revenue sources Facilitate government collaboration Prepare for emerging technology “I bike, take the train, and bike again — it’s what makes my commute work.” Hear Bailey’s story Explore the projects The RTP includes a fiscally constrained list of major transportation projects that support regional goals and respond to long-term transportation needs. These Regional Capital Projects address substantial state of good repair, capacity expansion, and travel reliability needs on the roadway, transit, and freight networks, including enhancements to connect bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, across northeastern Illinois. Explore the project map ext-link Opens in a new tab Read the Regional Capital Projects Benefits ReportOpens in a new tab Priority investments The 2026 RTP elevates a list of priority investments, which includes 15 projects and programs that are expected to make the greatest impact in fulfilling regional transportation goals. Advancing these priorities is integral to RTP implementation and will require sustained collaboration, focus, and resources. Priority investments in the 2026 RTP include: Advancing regional rail Chicago Hub Improvement Program Connect 290 Blue Connected sidewalks, bikeways, and micromobility infrastructure CREATE 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project Faster, more reliable buses I-55 improvements I-90/I-94 reconstruction (Hubbard Street to 31st Street) North DuSable Lake Shore Drive improvements Randall Road improvements Red and Purple Modernization next phases Regional Intelligent Transportation Systems/transportation management center Transit station accessibility Transportation decarbonization US 45 – Rollins Road to IL 120 Explore the funding landscape The RTP includes a financial plan that identifies expected transportation revenues and expenditures through 2050. The plan satisfies federal requirements by helping the region understand what can be funded, where additional resources may be needed, and how future investments can support regional priorities. The financial plan also considers strategies for maintaining and expanding transportation revenues so the region can preserve the existing system, address long-term needs, and make progress toward shared goals. Read the financial planOpens in a new tab Explore the funding policy briefs Plan for the region’s growth Where people will live, where jobs are located, and how the region changes over time all shape the transportation system northeastern Illinois will need. CMAP’s socioeconomic forecast provides a long-range view of population, households, and employment through 2050 and helps inform the strategies and investments included in the 2026 RTP. The updated forecast points to slower growth than previously anticipated, along with important shifts in the region’s population and where growth may occur. Northeastern Illinois is projected to add more than 300,000 residents between 2020 and 2050, reaching nearly 8.9 million people. The region’s population also is expected to grow older, while a greater share of population growth is projected to occur in the outer counties. Forecast highlights Nearly 8.9 million residents by 2050 The region is expected to continue growing, but at a slower pace than projected in previous forecasts. An aging population Residents age 60 and older are projected to make up nearly 28 percent of the region’s population by 2050. Changing growth patterns Cook and DuPage counties are projected to grow more slowly, while the region’s outer counties are expected to account for a greater share of population growth. Read the socioeconomic forecastOpens in a new tab “Public transit gives me independence — I can get where I need to go on my own.” Hear Ben’s story Track progress CMAP will use indicators to track progress toward the RTP’s goals. These indicators will help show how the region’s transportation system is changing over time and where continued action is needed. Indicators will be included in an interactive dashboard (currently under development) with downloadable data and methodology documentation available. Indicator pages will link to related ESRI dashboards, CMAP Data Hub datasets, and GitHub methodology pages. Read the System Performance ReportOpens in a new tab Stay engaged The 2026 RTP will guide regional transportation planning and investment through 2050. CMAP will continue working with partners to implement the plan, track progress, and update materials as needed. To stay up to date on regional transportation planning, sign up for CMAP’s transportation newsletter. Have a question about the 2026 RTP? Email rtp@cmap.illinois.gov. Your voice matters in planning the transportation system our region needs — now and in the future. On this page A long-term blueprint for northeastern Illinois’ transportation futureExplore the 2026 Regional Transportation PlanGoals for the region’s transportation futureExplore the projectsPriority investmentsExplore the funding landscapePlan for the region’s growthTrack progressStay engaged Read the RTP Download the executive summaryOpen Download the executive summary in a new tab Download the full planOpen Download the full plan in a new tab Transportation News Newsletter sign-up Opens in a modal