NICTI

What's New?

    The NICTI Executive Committee Unanimously Selects a Commuter Rail Route
     Where are We in the Alternatives Analysis Part B Process?
    Taking a Look Ahead

The NICTI Executive Committee Unanimously Selects a Commuter Rail Route

On April 30, 2008 the NICTI Executive Committee announced the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) after the results of the second level screening were reviewed. The transit alternative selected is a commuter rail line that would link downtown Rockford with the communities of Belvidere, Marengo and Huntley to the City of Elgin including to employment centers east of Elgin in Schaumburg, Bensenville and the O’Hare Airport area. The new commuter rail line would travel between Rockford and Elgin on existing freight tracks; at Elgin, the service would connect with the Metra Milwaukee District Line. The NICTI Alternative Analysis DRAFT Second Level Screening Executive Summary Report can be viewed in full by clicking on this link: DRAFT Second Level Screening Executive Summary Report In order for the NICTI project to move forward, the Rockford Area Transportation Study (RATS) approval will be needed. RATS, the local metropolitan planning organization, will vote on the recommendation in the future.

It is anticipated that the next round of public meetings will be held in summer 2008. The details will be posted on the website when they are finalized.

A significant amount of work has been occurring behind the scenes. The alternatives that moved forward after the first level screening, First Screen Alternatives and Revised Study Area Map are carefully being evaluated based on criteria such as ridership forecasts, operating plans, cost effectiveness and financial feasibility, analysis of social and environmental impacts and supportive land uses. In this phase of the project, additional engineering analysis is developed to become more certain of the implementation realities of the alternatives.

As the Alternative Analysis progresses through the screening process and the evaluation of criteria are applied, options within the wide range of alternatives are eliminated until there is a solution—a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). It is anticipated that the next round of public meetings will be held in early summer 2008. The details will be posted on the website when they are finalized.

Where are we in the Alternatives Analysis?

Enlarged View

PART B

We are currently in the second phase of the study, as identified as Part B in the timeline. Part B began with the further refinement of the purpose and need for improvement, and identified a wide range Initial Build Alternatives Map of possible alternatives, such as commuter rail, rapid bus transit, light rail, express bus, and highway expansion.

Next, the possible alternatives went through the Screen 1 process. Each alternative was evaluated against how well they achieved the project goal and objectives, and identified the level of effectiveness of those alternatives. For ease in reading we adopted the Consumer Report bubble method in which a fully filled in circle indicates the alternative fully addressed the measure, or is the best relative to the consideration, half filled bubble indicates the alternative somewhat or partially addresses the measure and an empty bubble indicates an alternative fails to address the measure.

Measures used to determine which alternatives to carry forward as indicated First Level Screening Results Matrix on the Matrix were Communities/Population Served, Public Support, Low-Income or Minority Populations Served, Service to Activity Center, Intermodal Connection Opportunities, Impacts to Vehicular Traffic, Quality and Convenience of Trip, Impacts to Planned Transportation Improvements, Consistency with Existing Infrastructure, Order of Magnitude Capital Costs, and Consistency with Locally Adopted Future Land Use/Comprehensive Plans.

The most important measures were as indicated on the First Level Screen Summary were Public Support, Order of Magnitude Capital Costs, Communities/Population Served, Service to Activity Centers Within Study Area and Consistency with Locally Adopted Future Land Use Plan/Comprehensive Plan.

Alternatives which qualified in the first level screening for further study in the second level screening are:

Bus Rapid Transit 1 (also called the “TSM” or “baseline” alternative)
Bus Rapid Transit 2
Commuter Rail 5
Commuter Rail 6

First Screen Alternatives and Revised Study Area Map

A significant amount of work has been occurring behind the scenes since the public meetings in 2007. The alternatives that moved forward after the First Level Screening, First Screen Alternatives and Revised Study Area Map are carefully being evaluated based on criteria such as ridership forecasts, operating plans, cost effectiveness and financial feasibility, analysis of social and environmental impacts and identify supportive land uses.

Taking a Look Ahead

As the Alternatives Analysis progresses through the screening process and the evaluation of criteria are applied, options within the wide range of alternatives are eliminated until there is a solution—a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). It is anticipated that the next round of public meetings will be held early summer, 2008. The details will be posted on the website when they are finalized.

Enlarged View