Future Projects

CUUATS staff used public input from the first round of LRTP 2045 outreach, input from local agencies, and local planning documents to establish the LRTP 2045 goals (safety, multimodal connectivity, economy, equity, and the environment) along with a list of transportation system changes that could contribute to the realization of the goals. Public input regarding the current transportation system called attention to locations in the system that people thought were functioning well and locations where people suggested specific infrastructure improvements. Public input regarding the future transportation system came from responses to a question asking people to prioritize the three most important factors that will shape our transportation system over the next 25 years. The combined input about the current and future transportation system conveyed strong public support for a set of overlapping ideas about the future of transportation: a more environmentally sustainable transportation system, additional pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, shorter off-campus transit times, equitable access to transportation services, and a compact urban area that supports active transportation and limits sprawl development.

Future Projects: Regionally Significant Vision Projects

The graphic below highlights the overarching transportation goals for the future alongside regionally-significant transportation projects as part of the LRTP 2045 future vision. The regionally-significant projects and collectively-defined goals are connected in the graphic to illustrate how individual improvement projects can complement other projects to improve the overall system over time. Some projects are already funded and in progress while others are considered an illustrative, un-funded part of the LRTP vision for 2045.

The intent of the following vision video is to get people thinking about the future and imagining different changes in the local community in 2045. This video is not intended to be a comprehensive or literal representation of the LRTP 2045.

Future Projects: Fiscally Constrained

As part of the LRTP, the Federal Highway Administration requires a listing of the fiscally constrained projects that are part of the overall vision for the urbanized area. The fiscally constrained projects are those that have either guaranteed or reasonably guaranteed funding secured for the completion of the project. A separate federally-required document for the region, the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) lists fiscally-constrained transportation projects anticipated to be constructed in the metropolitan planning area during the next four years. The program reflects the goals, objectives, and recommendations from the 25-year Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) in the short term. By mandate, the TIP must include projects receiving federal and state funding; the CUUATS TIP also includes local projects from our member agencies. Compiling the document requires a consensus among all CUUATS agencies, thus establishing compliance with federal laws and eligibility for federal funding. Each year, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) publishes a fiscally-constrained six-year program that details transportation investments in the state and local highway system. As of September 2019, the State of Illinois has not yet released the state’s multi-year transportation improvement program due to the pending implementation of the Capital Bill approved in July 2019. The local TIP will be amended to reflect additional State-funded transportation projects as they are released. The following table includes a summary of local projects reflected in the current TIP for fiscal years 2020-2023. Visit the online TIP map and database for more details about these projects and other transportation expenditures in the region.

Furthermore, the City of Champaign, City of Urbana, Village of Savoy, and Village of Mahomet identify additional infrastructure maintenance and improvement projects in their respective Capital Improvement Plans and Programs.

Future Projects: Local and Unfunded

Each agency in the region has its own set of transportation priorities and goals to improve mobility in their respective jurisdiction alone and in conjunction with surrounding jurisdictions. The following list includes local project priorities for the future that are currently un-funded. The projects are numbered in the map for identification purposes only and do not indicate priority.

Bicycling and walking projects were identified separately from roadway projects due to their large volume and small scale. The recommendations from the following plans were incorporated into the map below:

• 2017 Champaign Park District Trails Master Plan (CTMP) – approved June 2017
• 2017 Savoy Bike & Pedestrian Plan – approved April 2017
• 2016 Urbana Bicycle Master Plan (UBMP) – approved December 2016
• 2016 Urbana Park District Trails Master Plan (UTMP) – approved January 2016
• 2014 Champaign County Greenways & Trails Plan – approved June 2014

The implementation of the local projects described in the following tables are not the responsibility of CUUATS or the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission. These projects have been included in the LRTP to highlight local improvement projects that will enhance the quality of the overall transportation network and will help connect the local transportation network to the planned regionally significant improvements for the future.