Pace Breaks Ground on ADA Paratransit Facility

LEADERS FROM PACE Suburban Bus, Arlington Heights, IL, were joined by local officials recently to break ground on a new ADA transfer facility adjacent to the Northwest Transportation Center. The project, made possible by Rebuild Illinois funding, will transform a critical hub for paratransit with new assets that promote accessibility, expand capacity and enhance comfort for people with disabilities and for other commuters.

From left: Pace Director Chris Canning; Schaumburg Trustee Jaime Clar; Pace Director David Guerin; Pace Executive Director Melinda Metzger; Pace Chairman Rick Kwasneski; Rep. Michelle Mussman; Rep. Nabeela Syed; Rep. Mary Beth Canty; Pace Director Bill McLeod; Pace ADA Suburban Advisory Committee Chairperson Jemal Powell; and RTA Executive Director Leanne Redden.

The Pace Northwest Transportation Center is a major hub with more than 1,000 daily boardings. Improvements to the site include the demolition of the former Schaumburg Post Office and the renovation of an existing facility that will accommodate customers, for the first time, with an indoor waiting area and public restrooms.

The new transit center and ADA transfer facility will include two new dual-port car charging stations, an expanded drop-off area and new Pace branded signs with real-time bus departure information. New sidewalks will provide pedestrian access to the bus terminal, and parking capacity will increase from 192 spaces (six ADA) to 301 spaces (eight ADA). Other improvements include landscaping and site furnishings, seating, Ventra ticketing and digital and audio bus arrival information.

Pace Chairman Rick Kwasneski opened the groundbreaking celebration by acknowledging Illinois State Representative Michelle Mussman, whose district the transit center is in. “I want to thank Representative Mussman for her support as she voted for the Rebuild Illinois capital bill that is funding this project,” Kwasneski said. “Thanks to that support, Pace can invest in transit infrastructure in the northwest suburbs to improve access for those we serve.”