Village of Bedford Park Last-Mile Mobility Plan

The Village of Bedford Park, IL, is a highly industrialized suburb located at Chicago’s southwest boundary, near Midway Internal Airport. Getting to work is a challenge for the nearly 30,000 workers who commute to and from Bedford Park daily. To address these challenges, the Village of Bedford Park launched an initiative in 2018 to better understand area’s last mile mobility challenges, and to develop, test, and implement innovative and effective mobility solutions. This post provides a brief overview of the Village of Bedford Park’s Last Mile Mobility Study and Last Mile Mobility Action Plan.

In 2018, Bedford Park was awarded a grant through Cook County’s Invest in Cook program to conduct a study aimed at understanding the various regional and “last mile” challenges that impede mobility within Bedford Park and the broader Bedford Park area. The Village engaged Antero Group, the Shared-Use Mobility Center, and the Active Transportation Alliance, to implement a multi-faceted research and community engagement effort. Working with this Project Team the Village was able to accomplish the following milestones over the course of the first year:

• Convene a cross-sector Resource Group consisting of representatives from the Village, area employers, transit agencies, and other local and regional partners;
• Define the regional and last mile mobility challenges impacting commuters;
• Develop a toolkit of potential last mile solutions; and,
• Define clear next steps.

In July 2019, the Village released the Last Mile Mobility Study and immediately initiated a more targeted and actionable planning effort. The resulting action plan applied the framework and toolkit that was developed through the last mile study to articulate a shared vision for the future, define clear goals, and recommend specific projects, programs, and policies. The action plan outlined four goals, each of which corresponded with one of Bedford Park’s four primary mobility networks:

• Goal 1. Establish a safe and continuous pedestrian network village-wide.
• Goal 2. Develop a connected network of protected bike and micromobility facilities.
• Goal 3. Expand access to public transit and shared mobility services.
• Goal 4. Create a network of smart and complete streets.

The Village is now in the process of implementing various recommendations outlined in this plan, including the Connect2Work First/Last Mile Pilot Program.