BENEFITS OF THE MCORE PROJECT
Enhances Mobility Choices
The goal of MCORE is to provide a balance between all modes
of transportation. Transportation choices address pedestrian
access routes, bicycle lanes, transit efficiency and vehicle
flow; and reduce potential conflict areas.
Improves Infrastructure
MCORE will improve the condition of the existing pavement
and bring the streets of these core transit corridors into a
state of good repair while redesigning them into complete
streets to accommodate all users.
Promotes Sustainability
MCORE will encourage sustainable development that is
located and designed to be compact and contiguous to
existing development and have limited environmental impact;
provide streetscape improvements for an enriched built
environment, sense of place, and quality of life; emphasize all
modes of transportation while decreasing the use of single
occupancy vehicles, thereby reducing congestion, traffic
hazards, and carbon emissions.
Improves Critical Linkages
The completion of the MCORE Project will provide better
connections between the downtown centers of Champaign
and Urbana, the university, the area’s major employers,
health, and social service organizations.
The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD), City of
Champaign, City of Urbana, and the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign are partnering to improve mobility in the
core of our community through a federal Transportation
Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant.
The $35M MCORE Project is unprecedented in our
community’s history and will have a transformative impact.
WHEN
MCORE Project construction is anticipated to start in Septem-
ber of 2016 and continue into 2019, covering five separate
project areas to improve key urban transportation corridors.
PROJECTS
PROJECT 1
Green Street (from Wright Street to Busey Avenue) 2016-2017
PROJECT 2
Green Street (from Neil Street to Fourth Street) 2016-2017
PROJECT 3
White Street (from Second Street to Wright Street) and Wright Street
(from White Street to Springfield Avenue) 2016-2017
PROJECT 4
Armory Avenue (from Fourth Street to Wright Street) and Wright
Street (from Armory Avenue to Springfield Avenue) 2018-2019
PROJECT 5
Green Street (from Busey Avenue to Race Street) 2018-2019
- More than 80% of the jobs in the Champaign-Urbana area
are located within approximately one mile of the project
corridors. - This is the third time the MCORE partner agencies have
applied for the TIGER grant; there were 797 applicants this
time with submissions totaling $9.5B. Only $600M was
available in this round of funding. - A requirement of the TIGER VI grant process is to complete
work by 2021. - Champaign-Urbana is one of two Illinois communities to
receive TIGER Grant funding in this round (Bronzeville
Bridge to Chicago’s Lakefront).
Projected Construction Costs:
PROJECT 1 = $3.5M
PROJECT 2 = $8.0M
PROJECT 3 = $4.1M
PROJECT 4 = $9.3M
PROJECT 5 = $4.0M
(design and engineering for all projects = $5.8M)
The MCORE Project is estimated to be $34.8M. The TIGER
grant accounts for $15.7M with $19.1M in local matching
funds: City of Champaign ($9.6M); MTD ($3.8M); University
of Illinois ($3.6M); and the City of Urbana ($2.1M).
COST DID YOU KNOW?
Project updates at: MCOREProject.com
STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK
Public sessions in May and the fall 2015 will show multiple
MCORE project concepts and allow opportunities for
feedback. Comments are always welcome on the contact
page at MCOREProject.com. All questions will be logged
as part of TIGER grant federal reporting requirements and
routed to the proper participating agency. Additionally,
MCORE-involved organizations are continuing to schedule
meetings with stakeholders located in project areas.
First MCORE Project Open House
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
Illini Union Ballroom C
ABOUT TIGER
Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery
(TIGER), originated as part of the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 to provide economic stimulus
and sustainable investment in the nation’s transportation
system. This is round six of the TIGER Grant program or
“TIGER VI.”
Champaign Urbana Urbanized Area Transportation Study
(CUUATS)
CUUATS is the transportation entity of the Champaign
County Regional Planning Commission, which is responsible
for administering the federally mandated transportation
planning process. This group of local agencies meets monthly
and collaborates on projects that take place within the
Champaign-Urbana-Savoy-Bondville-Tolono Urbanized Area.
The MCORE Project is consistent with local planning for our
metro area that has been accomplished through organizations
like CUUATS and the Campus Area Transportation Study
(CATS).
“COMPLETE STREETS”
Improvements in each corridor will include complete street
design components and more efficient travel for pedestrians,
bicyclists, transit riders, and vehicles. Concepts include:
reduced vehicle lanes, shared lane markings, bicycle lanes,
bus lanes, enhanced bus stops and pedestrian amenities, and
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible curb ramps