EXPLAINED HOW TO NAVIGATE THE CITY.

>>> COMMUNITY DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT CENTERED AROUND CTA STATIONS, THAT IS BEHIND A NEW PLAN TO REVITALIZE NEIGHBORHOODS .

WHILE THE EXTENSION ISN'T A DONE DEAL, TRANSIT ADVOCATES ARE COVERED IN THE PROJECT MOVING FORWARD, WITH $350 MILLION FOR THE PROJECT IN PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S LATEST BUDGET PROPOSAL.

WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO WHAT THE CTA HOPES TO DO IN AREAS AROUND THOSE FUTURE STATIONS.

>> THAT 5.6 MILE EXTENSION OF THE REDLINE DOWN TO 130th STREET IS A LONG TIME IN THE MAKING, AS FAR BACK AS THE 1950s, IT HAS BEEN UNDER DISCUSSION.

IN RECENT YEARS, THE CTA HAS BEEN WORKING TO COME UP WITH CONCRETE PLANS FOR GETTING IT DONE AND TO DRUM UP SOME LOCAL AND FEDERAL FUNDING.

PART OF THAT PROCESS IS THINKING THROUGH NOT JUST THE STATIONS THEMSELVES BUT WHAT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE HALF-MILE OR SO AROUND THOSE STATIONS.

ONE OF THE IDEAS ON THE LIST, IMPROVING THE LOCAL HOUSING STOCK BY REHABBING EXISTING PROPERTY AND BUILDING ON VACANT LAND, AS SHOWN HERE ON ORANGE .

THEY ARE ALSO LOOKING AT RETAIL AND MIXED-USE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVING PUBLIC SPACE.

IT'S AN IDEA CALLED EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, OR IN SIMPLER TERMS -- >> AFFORDABLE HOMES, GROCERY STORES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND MANY OTHER DESIRES DRIVEN BY THE COMMUNITY.

>> ELEVATED CHICAGO HELPED WITH THE PLAN, BRINGING TOGETHER RESIDENTS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE AROUND FUTURE STATIONS.

YOU HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE, BECAUSE DEVELOPMENT AROUND TRANSIT HAS OFTEN FOCUSED ON WELL-OFF OR GENTRIFYING COMMUNITIES.

>> HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS HAVE LEFT THE CITY OF CHICAGO, LET'S STOP THAT DISPLACEMENT, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE BUILD HOMES, COMMUNITY CENTERS NEAR TRANSIT TO RETAIN OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION.

>> THIS KIND OF PLANNING HASN'T ALWAYS HAPPENED ON THE FRONT END OF THINGS.

MELVIN THOMPSON WAS ALSO PART OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND HIS GROUP HAS BEEN WORKING ON REVITALIZING THE AREA AROUND THE EXISTING 95th STREET TERMINAL WHICH HE HOPES CAN BE A MODEL.

>> RETAIL IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND IN THOSE SPACES ARE GOING TO LOOK VASTLY DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP, SO, TO SEE AFRICAN-AMERICAN BUSINESSES SURROUNDED BY THE NEW DEVELOPMENT, NEAR THOSE STATIONS , CREATES COMMUNITY BUY-IN.

AND THAT IS SUSTAINABLE.

>> IN ADDITION TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, COMMUNITY LEADERS ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE PLAN FOR THE ROSELAND COMMUNITY MEDICAL DISTRICT , THAT IS AIMED AT IMPROVING ACCESS TO CARE AND HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR NEIGHBORS, BUT PLANNERS SAY JUST HAVING GOOD TRANSIT ACCESS WITH THE EXTENDED TRAIN LINE WOULD ALSO IMPROVE HEALTH AND WELLNESS.

>> THIS WILL REALLY CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES TO VISIT ONE ANOTHER MUCH MORE EASILY.

IT'LL ALLOW HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO TRAVEL TO DOWNTOWN FOR INTERNSHIPS, EVEN THE FESTIVALS AND THE FUN ACTIVITIES .

>> IT IS KEY TO FILL VACANT LAND AND ATTRACT RESIDENTS TO COMBAT POPULATION LOSS WITHOUT CREATING UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

>> WE ARE DOING THE WORK TO ENCOURAGE FAMILIES TO COME BACK TO THE SOUTH SIDE.

AND ALSO , MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING THE WORK TO SUPPORT POLICIES THAT DON'T ENCOURAGE THAT TYPE OF DISPLACEMENT THAT OTHER RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY ARE FEARING.

>> THE CTA HAD BEEN SCHEDULED TO PRESENT AT THIS WEEK'S MEETING OF THE CHICAGO PLAN COMMISSION, THAT ENDED UP GETTING DEFERRED.

A SPOKESPERSON SAID THEY DON'T HAVE A MAKEUP DATE .

AS FOR THE REDLINE EXTENSION ITSELF, CONGRESS HAS TO APPROVE THAT $350 MILLION FUNDING IN