Schaumburg plans study to ease transit on north side
The massive and ongoing redevelopment along Meacham Road north of the I-90 tollway in Schaumburg is bringing an equivalent need for public transportation improvements.
Village trustees Tuesday are expected to commission a $124,962 study to create options for people trying to navigate the first or last mile of their public transit journey to or from more distant places.
The village is commissioning the study from A. Epstein and Sons International, Inc. in Chicago.
“The primary basis for this is getting around 90 North,” Schaumburg Transportation Director Sid Kenyon said. “We’re seeking to make it an entertainment and commercial and mixed-use area.”
Urban Street Group LLC already added apartments and townhouses to the former Motorola Solutions campus at the southwest corner of Meacham and Algonquin roads. More apartments are coming as The District at Veridian nears construction on the far east side of the development.
Meanwhile, Schaumburg aims to start construction of the first phase of an entertainment district this summer around the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center on the east side of Meacham.
A 900-space village-owned parking deck will be built the west side of the hotel along with an adjacent Andretti Indoor Karting & Games entertainment and dining venue.
These projects create the possibility of a bus terminal along the shoulder of I-90 at Meacham, similar to that found at Barrington Road in Hoffman Estates, Kenyon said. Some changes to Schaumburg site would be required.
They also enable such options as route changes for Pace’s existing Woodfield trolley service, a shuttle bus, smaller motorized vehicles, ride-sharing, bike-sharing and scooters, among others.
The study is expected to be completed by April 2025 to await implementation decisions, Kenyon said.
A pedestrian bridge connecting both sides of Meacham Road is also in discussion. Its exact location could influence other recommendations in the study, Kenyon said.
The Illinois Department of Transportation has awarded the village a $100,000 planning & research grant for the study. The remaining $24,962 will be paid from tax increment financing (TIF) district funding public improvements in the 90 North area.
A TIF district allocates a portion of property taxes for such improvements for up to 23 years from its start.
An implementation time frame won’t be known until recommendations are presented, Kenyon said.