The Next Plans: Regional Transportation Plan

Shaping the future of transportation in northeastern Illinois

CMAP is leading the development of the 2026 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) — a long-term blueprint that will guide how our region invests in and improves its transportation system over the coming decades.

Created in partnership with local governments, transportation agencies, community organizations, and residents across northeastern Illinois, the RTP will define 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 and highways, freight, biking, walking, and accessible transportation for all users.

What is the RTP?

The RTP is more than just a plan — it’s a tool for answering three essential questions:

• What kind of transportation system does the region want?
• What are the challenges and opportunities ahead?
• And how will we get there?

Through this process, the RTP will establish a shared vision and measurable goals for the region’s transportation future. It will outline policies to guide decision making, propose a financial strategy for funding improvements, and includes a prioritized list of major projects.

Goals and objectives

Five preliminary goals and objectives guide the development of the 2026 RTP.

• Connections
• Safety
• Resilience
• Prosperity
• Preservation

Connections

Strengthen connections between people and places

Objectives:

• Strengthen connections between people and places
• Improve reliability and manage congestion
• Improve incident detection and management
• Expand multimodal access
• Achieve universal ADA accessibility

Safety

Prioritize safety and public health

Objectives:

• Prioritize safety and public health
• 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:

• Mitigate pollution and invest in resilient infrastructure
• 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:

• Support economic prosperity and inclusive growth
• 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:

• Strategically govern, fund, and preserve the transportation system
• Fund the preservation of the existing system
• Prioritize projects that maximize benefits
• Maintain and expand revenue sources
• Facilitate government collaboration
• Prepare for emerging technology

RTP supporting resources

As the region develops the 2026 RTP, we continue to share the research, data, and technical work that inform its recommendations. These resources provide a closer look at the region’s needs, the evaluation of major capital projects, our financial outlook, and the policy considerations that will inform the final plan. 

Major reports:

• RTP Emerging Priorities 
• RTP Existing Conditions 
• Regional Capital Projects Benefits Report
• Congestion Management Strategy Guidebook
• Advancing a Road Usage Charge in Illinois

Policy briefs:
RTP overall

• Emerging Technologies* 
• Intercity Rail and Bus*
• Asset Management*
• Innovative Financing and Project Delivery**

Financial plan

• Transportation Funding Strategies: Revenue Options for Consideration**
• Tolling and Pricing Strategies: Revenue Options for Consideration**

Additional ongoing supporting work:

• Updating the congestion management process 
• Assessing the regional freight landscape 

*Prepared in partnership with Cemple ITC
**Prepared in partnership with CDM Smith

A collaborative process

The 2026 RTP is being developed through close coordination with public agencies and community partners, supported by data analysis, research, and public input.

It reflects not only technical expertise, but also the voices of people who rely on the transportation system every day — whether riding transit, driving, walking, biking, or delivering goods across the region.

CMAP will present the final plan for adoption to the CMAP Board and the MPO Policy Committee in October 2026.

Get involved

To stay up to date with the RTP’s development, sign up for our transportation newsletter. We are hard at work developing the draft 2026 RTP, which is expected to be released for public comment in early June. 

Have a question or want someone from the CMAP team to present at your upcoming meeting? Email us at rtp@cmap.illinois.gov.

Your voice matters in planning the transportation system our region needs — now and in the future.