Village of Arlington Heights Illinois

The Village of Arlington Heights Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee in consultation with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning has written a new Bikeways and Pedestrian Plan. This Plan is a part of the Village’s Comprehensive Plan, and was approved by the Village Board in September, 2017. 

This Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan builds upon and advances successful efforts already completed or underway by the Village of Arlington Heights to cultivate a vibrant, lively downtown and safe, attractive, and livable neighborhoods where walking and bicycling are convenient ways to travel. It provides detailed recommendations for specific locations in Arlington Heights where bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure improvements are needed to achieve key, Villagewide goals related to access, mobility, health, and sustainability and identifies actions that the Village can take to improve and enhance its active transportation network, create safe and enjoyable bicycle and pedestrian routes, and encourage sustainable local transportation.

Other documents pertaining to the Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan include the existing conditions report from July, 2015 and the appendices to the Plan.

In 1991, the Village Board amended the Comprehensive Plan by designating several areas as redevelopment project areas as part of the Comprehensive Planning Program. One area designated was the Hickory/Kensington area, defined by Dryden Avenue on the east, Miner Street on the north, Northwest Highway on the south, and Belmont Avenue on the west.

The Village Board approved a study to be undertaken by Teska Associates on the Corridor Beautification Plan for Rand Road.  This stretch of Rand Road is a crucial retail district to the Village of Arlington Heights, providing significant amounts of sales tax and employment opportunities.  In working with Village Staff, Teska Associates is tasked with helping establish an identity for the Uptown shopping corridor by identifying potential improvements to enhance the area as a shopping destination.

The South Arlington Heights Road Corridor Plan outlines the Village’s vision and strategies for improvements to this important Gateway to the Village. In adopting the 2015 Comprehensive Plan for the Village, this gateway was identified by the Board as a priority corridor to improve upon the many existing positive qualities that the corridor offers while improving the gateway through beautification, redevelopment, walkability, and by establishing an identity for the area.

The 1.2 mile long corridor begins at the southern border of the Village at the Jane Adams Tollway extending north to Noyes Street. The corridor consists of various commercial uses including 7 hotels with close to 1,000 rooms, which serve as an economic engine for the corridor. Unique to the corridor is the Mitsuwa Marketplace at Algonquin Road, which provides a marketplace for Japanese foods and retail items. In addition, the area is served by a full access interchange at I-90 and Arlington Heights Road, providing great access to the corridor. 

The Plan establishes recommendations to address current conditions and implement improvements to the corridor as the primary Gateway to the Village.  Please share any comments you have on the plan, or questions by emailing the Planning and Community Development Department.