Kane County to study Randall Road rapid transit

A group of mayors, labor leaders, elected officials and department heads will come together Friday to combine various transit plans across Kane County into a single regional approach.

The Randall Road Bus Rapid Transit Study Commission will meet for the first time at 10 a.m. Jan. 6 at The Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way. The overall goal of the commission will be to brainstorm transit ideas and find funding for the project.

Elgin Mayor David Kaptain said separate entities have been discussing bus rapid transit along I-90 and Randall Road, new routes for Elgin, changes to Pace routes and at least two new Park-n-Ride locations in Elgin for a while. Kaptain said he spoke with Gov. Pat Quinn about the need for regional cooperation during a recent trip to Springfield.

“At the end of the day we'd like to tie all of these things together into a holistic plan for our Fox Valley area,” Kaptain said.

Rapid transit is expected to save money for travelers in the region and cut down on air pollution caused by traffic congestion.

Sen. Michael Noland, chairman of the commission, said it will be good for residents of the area as well as travelers and cause a chain reaction.

“If their transportation costs are reduced they have more disposable income and they're able to spend on other things,” Noland said. “They can maybe patronize stores and businesses along Randall Road and help further boost our local economies.”

The Randall Road corridor is defined as the stretch from Elgin to Aurora that becomes Orchard Road.

The commission will meet without a set list of goals, but it will be expected to develop one. Noland said the group will decide Friday when it should meet next after assigning certain research tasks to various people for continued forward movement. It may not be monthly, but it will be regularly enough to keep the ball rolling on the project.

Noland said the commission could seek legislation and funding this spring from the General Assembly. He also said the magnitude of the project means it will need federal money.

“We want to show our federal colleagues that we're very serious about these projects in Illinois,” Noland said. “It will add to our transportation portfolio, allowing us to move our economy further into the 21st Century.”