Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Pace Service And Neda topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
PACE previews modest Route 550 improvements, new Crystal Lake ‘Van Gogh’ last‑mile service and outlines how NEDA funding will shift priorities
Summary
PACE presented June service enhancements to Route 550, a new "Van Gogh" last‑mile pilot in Crystal Lake ($5/day), and warned that the incoming NEDA Act’s phased funding will increasingly favor denser, more walkable areas unless counties advocate for minimum coverage standards.
Eric LeBlanc, PACE’s chief planning officer, told the committee that suburban transit planning must balance a choice between maximizing ridership and providing broad coverage, and that the region’s land‑use patterns strongly shape where transit can be effective. LeBlanc said many suburban routes have low frequency and long waits; PACE’s planning uses datasets such as anonymized movement data, ridership by route and demographic measures to decide where to invest.
LeBlanc outlined the NEDA Act’s phased approach to regional funding: beginning in 2027 service boards will be funded at 2025 levels and additional regional funds will be distributed using four measures (unlinked passenger trips, passenger miles, vehicle revenue hours and vehicle revenue miles); between 2030 and 2032 funding allocations will incorporate service‑standard metrics (population and employment density, low‑income and disabled populations, 0‑car households, sidewalk/access measures); by 2033 the distribution will rely on NEDA‑defined standards. "Those first two measures are focused on ridership," LeBlanc said, and the later thresholds emphasize density and walkability.
PACE and partner updates: PACE reported February 2026 ridership of about 1.7 million rides (up 1.4%) and March 2026 of about 1.9 million rides; PACE plans to add roughly 60,000 annual vehicle hours in June via span and frequency improvements on 12 fixed routes including Route 550. PACE’s community relations representative announced Van Gogh, a last‑mile, employer‑oriented program in Crystal Lake (initially two minivans; riders pay $5/day; vehicles staged at Pingree Road Metro Station), intended to connect commuters from Metra stations to area employers.
Why it matters: LeBlanc and PACE staff said the NEDA funding framework will advantage areas that already show high ridership or transit‑supportive land use, raising concerns about rural or low‑density parts of McHenry County. Committee members asked whether McHenry County or municipalities could create independent shuttles; PACE staff said there are municipal vehicle programs that let local governments or nonprofits operate fixed or dial‑a‑ride services with PACE assistance, but funding and administrative arrangements differ.
County governance and next steps: staff said the county board chair will name McHenry County’s representatives to the new NEDA oversight and service boards; that decision had not been announced at the time of the meeting. RTA staff asked for input on a proposed amendment to the 2026 operating budget — focused on safety, affordability and service expansion — and requested comments by the next day. Committee members asked staff to prepare prioritized local projects and minimal acceptable service levels so McHenry County is prepared to advocate when NEDA standards and funding allocations are finalized.
The meeting did not produce formal policy changes; PACE indicated incremental Route 550 changes and the Van Gogh pilot will move forward and that public comment opportunities on broader regional plans will follow.
