Crystal Lake, Illinois offers a transit oriented planning case study on the edge of the Chicago metropolitan area.

The city of Crystal Lake, Illinois is working to create a Strategic Action Plan, according to an article by Igor Studenkov. The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), the organization with financial and oversight powers over three transit agencies in northeastern Illinois—the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, and Pace—is partnering with the city on the plan to "guide community development and transportation planning around the city’s two Metra stations, located on the Union Pacific Northwest line," according to Studenkov.
Crystal Lake is located in McHenry County, which Studenkov describes as the most rural of the six counties in the RTA service area, and the county with the least amount of public transit. "Crystal Lake is better off than much of the county in that regard, because it has two Metra stations and three bus routes," according to Studenkov. "But while the downtown Crystal Lake station is a local transit hub, the Pingree Road station further southeast is more car-orientated."
While the plan is still in early stages of public engagement, Studenkov provides a detailed analysis of the planning scenario, in context of the plan's stated goal of delivering a community-supported vision for the development around the station and long-term transit plan approved by McHenry County in 2019. The article includes details about how planners on the project have responded to the pandemic totally upending traditional public engagement processes, which is sure to be informative for planners working in other jurisdictions.
FULL STORY: Crystal Lake, RTA seek community feedback for transit-orientated development plan

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie