95th Street Corridor Plan Area

Located on the Far South Side of Chicago, the 95th Street Corridor Plan area is approximately two miles long, extending from Halsted Street on the west end to Cottage Grove Avenue on the east end. The planning area intersects with the neighborhoods of Washington Heights and Roseland.

The corridor is characterized by low-scale commercial and residential development, along with large institutions like Chicago State University. The area’s residential neighborhoods have some of the highest rates of Black homeownership in the region and are made up of predominantly single-family homes.

What is ETOD?

"TOD" and "ETOD" are acronyms used in urban and transportation planning. These concepts are also foundational to the revitalization of 95th Street. The Federal Transit Administration defines transit-oriented development — TOD — as the practice of “creating housing, recreational and commercial opportunities around bus and rail stops.” The term ETOD centers equity — the "E" — in transit-oriented development plans. In Chicago specifically, ETOD means prioritizing equity, safety, accessibility, sustainability and affordability within a half-mile radius of transit stops and bus corridors.

ETOD projects open the door for all Chicagoans to experience the benefits of dense, mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented development regardless of income, race, ethnicity, age, gender, immigration status or disability. This especially applies to Black and Brown communities that have experienced disinvestment due to structural racism formalized in policies like redlining, urban renewal, city zoning and inequitable transportation investment.

95th Street has been identified as an area well suited for ETOD due to the numerous major transit improvements happening along the corridor, outlined below. For more information about ETOD in Chicago, visit the ETOD Policy Plan page and read up on the Connected Communities Ordinance, which updated the zoning rules in Chicago.

Recent & Upcoming Major Transit Investments Along the 95th Street Corridor

There are several major transit investments around and along the 95th Street Corridor that have either recently been completed or are in various stages of planning and development. These include:

• CTA 95th/Dan Ryan Station & Terminal Improvements
• CTA Red Line Extension Project
• Chicago State University 95^th St Corridor Revitalization Plan (Metra 95th St. Station)
• Pulse 95^th Street Line Project
• CTA South Halsted Bus Corridor Enhancement Project

Project Team

The 95th Street Corridor Plan is being led by the Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD) and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) in conjunction with AECOM, an infrastructure consulting firm with experience working on large-scale projects in major metropolitan areas. They have previously worked on important Chicago projects such as redevelopment of the Salvation Army Kroc Center Brownfield, architecture and engineering for the 31st Street Harbor and reconstruction of the I-55 / Lake Shore Drive Interchange.

Several firms are working alongside AECOM and are shown here alphabetically:

• Francois-Blue Consulting
• GSG Consultants, Inc.
• Latent Design
• Muse Community + Design
• Rudd Resources

This core team is also partnering with several community-based organizations on the South Side of Chicago to ensure community interests are adequately represented throughout the course of the project. The lead community partner organizations are Endeleo Institute and Far South Community Development Corporation. Please check this page as the project progresses for more information about these crucial partners.