Champaign supports 25-year plan to improve safety, transportation, equity

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Tuesday night, the Champaign City Council unanimously voted in favor of endorsing the findings of the 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).

Accepting the plan will help it to be completed in a timely manner, which will also help the City earn federal transportation dollars.

After Tuesday night’s meeting, the next steps for the LRTP include the City Council accepting the finalized 2050 plan at a future meeting.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Champaign City Council will vote to “endorse” the findings of the 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) during Tuesday night’s city council meeting.

Every five years, the Champaign Urbana Urbanized Area Transportation Study (CUUATS) is required to update the LRTP, which plans out the next 25 years. The goal of the LRTP is to create innovative and sustainable transportation solutions in Champaign County.

On Tuesday night, the council will be updated on trends in demographics, land use, transportation and safety throughout the county. They’ve found that Champaign County has grown larger and more diverse, while rural and urban populations have stayed the same. The City has also found that Champaign-Urbana residents are more likely to walk and bike than the national average.

From these trends, the City has identified five goals they hope to accomplish with the 2050 LRTP. These goals are safety, reliability, equity and quality of life, sustainability and connectivity.

One of the projects outlined in the plan include safety improvements on Kirby, from Duncan to Staley. The improvements include pedestrian and bicycle facilities and street lighting. Another major project will reconstruct Mattis from Windsor to Curtis. The work will include new bike lanes, curbs, gutters, storm sewers, streetlights and a multi-use path.

To see a full list of projects included in the 2050 LRTP, visit the Champaign-Urbana Urbanized Area Transportation Study website.

Currently, the 2050 LRTP is in a draft review period until Oct. 15. Once the draft-period has ended, the plan will be adopted by the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission Board and Technical and Policy Committees. Then, the council will be able to accept and recognize the finalized 2050 LRTP plan.

If the plan is endorsed at Tuesday night’s meeting, the council will then be able to accept the finalized 2050 LRTP plan at a future City Council meeting.

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