**Region 11: Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI CSA**

I.  **Geographic Boundaries, Political Jurisdictions and
    Infrastructure**

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="6.495138888888889in"
height="6.690277777777778in"}

**Map 11.1: Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI CSA Major Highways and
Fixed Guideway System**

The Chicago-Naperville-Joliet CSA is comprised of 10 counties in
Illinois, five counties in Indiana, and one county in Wisconsin. The
major urban areas that are within the CSA include the cities of Chicago,
Joliet and Kankakee in Illinois; Gary, Indiana; and Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The area is part of the Midwestern plains region of the United States
with Lake Michigan immediately to the east of the Illinois and Wisconsin
portions of the CSA and immediately to the north of the Indiana portion.
The CSA is approximately 8,570 square miles with a population of 9.3
million persons. The 2000 tri-state population was 23,863,453, as
follows: Illinois - 12,419,293; Indiana - 6,080,485; and Wisconsin -
5,363,675.

The region is served by a number of interstate and U.S. highways. The
major east-west highways include Interstates 80, 88, 90 and 94 and the
major north-south highways include Interstates 55, 57, 65 and 355. There
are also a number of major U.S. highways in the region. Nearly all of
the highways converge on the Chicago metropolitan area, which is a major
hub for personal and commercial motor vehicle traffic. Metra operates
commuter rail, and the Chicago Transit Authority operates the heavy
rail.

The region's climate is continental in which seasonal temperatures vary
greatly from one season to the next. During summer months the region is
subject to occasional violent thunderstorms that bring the possibility
of tornadoes. Winters are generally cold and winter storms bring
substantial snowfall to the region as well as infrequent blizzards.
Although the region is relatively, geologically inactive, there is a
fault, the Sandwich Fault Zone, that runs along a southeasterly to
northwesterly track through Will, Kendall and DeKalb counties. While not
immune to earthquakes, the region experiences very few seismic events of
significant magnitude. Earthquakes causing minor property damage occur
perhaps once every few decades.

II. **Agencies Operating in the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI
    CSA**

+--------------------+----------------------+--------+---------+-----+
| **Agency**         | **Jurisdictions      | **Popu | **Op    | *   |
|                    | Served**             | lation | erating | *St |
|                    |                      | Se     | B       | aff |
|                    |                      | rved** | udget** | Siz |
|                    |                      |        |         | e** |
+--------------------+----------------------+--------+---------+-----+
| Illinois DOT       | Cook, DuPage, Kane,  | 8,3    | \$2.1   | *(  |
|                    | Lake, McHenry, Will, | 76,601 | billion | a)* |
| Districts 1 and 3  | Bureau, DeKalb,      |        |         |     |
|                    | Ford, Grundy,        |        | (total  |     |
|                    | Iroquois,            |        | agency) |     |
|                    |                      |        |         |     |
|                    | Kankakee, Kendall,   |        |         |     |
|                    | LaSalle, Livington   |        |         |     |
+--------------------+----------------------+--------+---------+-----+
| Indiana DOT        | Laporte, Winanmac,   | 7      | *(a)*   | *(  |
|                    | Gary, Rensselaer,    | 86,077 |         | a)* |
| District 1         | Plymouth, Monticello |        |         |     |
+--------------------+----------------------+--------+---------+-----+
| Wisconsin DOT      | Kenosha, Racine,     | 1      | *(a)*   | *(  |
|                    | Milwaukee, Ozaukee,  | 40,048 |         | a)* |
| District 4         | Walworth,            |        |         |     |
|                    | Washington, Waukesha | (K     |         |     |
|                    |                      | enosha |         |     |
|                    |                      | only)  |         |     |
+--------------------+----------------------+--------+---------+-----+
| Chicago Area       | McHenry, Lake, Kane, | *(a)*  | *(a)*   | *(  |
| Transportation     | DuPage, Cook,        |        |         | a)* |
| Study              | Kendall, Will,       |        |         |     |
|                    | Portion of Grundy    |        |         |     |
|                    | counties             |        |         |     |
+--------------------+----------------------+--------+---------+-----+
| Northwestern       | Lake, Porter and     | *(a)*  | *(a)*   | *(  |
| Indiana Regional   | LaPorte counties     |        |         | a)* |
| Planning           |                      |        |         |     |
| Commission         |                      |        |         |     |
+--------------------+----------------------+--------+---------+-----+
| Southeastern       | Kenosha, Milwaukee,  | *(a)*  | *(a)*   | *(  |
| Wisconsin Regional | Ozaukee, Racine,     |        |         | a)* |
| Planning           | Walworth,            |        |         |     |
| Commission         | Washington, and      |        |         |     |
|                    | Waukesha counties    |        |         |     |
+--------------------+----------------------+--------+---------+-----+
| Regional           | McHenry, Lake, Kane, | 7,3    | *(a)*   | *(  |
| Transportation     | DuPage, Cook, Will   | 00,000 |         | a)* |
| Authority          | counties             |        |         |     |
+--------------------+----------------------+--------+---------+-----+
| Metra              | Cook, DuPage, Lake,  | 7,1    | \$535,  | *(  |
|                    | Will, McHenry and    | 00,000 | 000,000 | a)* |
|                    | Kane. counties       |        |         |     |
+--------------------+----------------------+--------+---------+-----+
| Chicago Transit    | City of Chicago and  | 3,9    | \$1.04  | 11, |
| Authority          | 40 surrounding       | 00,000 | billion | 578 |
|                    | suburbs              |        |         |     |
+--------------------+----------------------+--------+---------+-----+
| Pace Suburban Bus  | Chicago\'s 40        | 5,2    | \$202,  | 1,  |
|                    | surrounding suburbs  | 00,000 | 000,000 | 499 |
+--------------------+----------------------+--------+---------+-----+
| Gary Public        | Gary, Indiana        | 1      | *(a)*   | 95  |
| Transportation     | Harbor, Hobart,      | 02,746 |         |     |
| Corporation        | Portage Point,       |        |         |     |
|                    | Merrillville, Crown  |        |         |     |
+--------------------+----------------------+--------+---------+-----+
| City of Kenosha    | Kenosha              | 92,808 | *(a)*   | 68  |
| DOT                |                      |        |         |     |
+--------------------+----------------------+--------+---------+-----+

*(a) Not available*

**Table 11.1: Chicago-Naperville-Joliet CSA Transportation Agencies**

III. **Transit Service Area: Fixed Guideway and Bus Service Area**

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="6.493055555555555in"
height="7.341666666666667in"}

**Map 11.2: Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI CSA Fixed Guideway and
Bus Transit Service Area**

The Chicago-Naperville-Joliet CSA enjoys a significant level of public
transportation service. As shown in Map 11.2, the regional network of
commuter rail lines is quite extensive. Heavy rail (i.e., Rapid Transit)
is operated in Chicago. Bus service is provided by a number of agencies
and includes a mix of local, commuter and regional bus routes. The
following is a brief description of the transit agencies in the CSA.

-   [Metra]{.underline} -- Metra operates a network of 12 commuter rail
    lines along 495 miles of track with service to 230 stations. Metra
    operates more than 1,000 rail cars in peak service and covers a
    service area of more than 3,700 square miles. According to NTD data,
    Metra carried 68 million passenger trips in FY2004.

-   [Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)]{.underline} -- The CTA operates
    the nation\'s second largest public transportation system. Serving
    approximately 1.5 million rides daily, the CTA operates more than
    1,700 buses, 1,000 heavy rail cars, and nearly 1,100 paratransit
    vehicles in maximum service. CTA bus services operates more than 153
    routes and with more than 12,000 posted bus stops. CTA\'s heavy rail
    service operates over eight routes and 222 miles of track. In
    FY2004, CTA carried 294 million trips on its fixed-route bus
    service, 179 million trips on its rapid transit service and 2
    million trips on its paratransit service.

-   [Pace Suburban Bus]{.underline} -- Pace serves 210 communities in
    DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, Suburban Cook counties in
    Illinois. Pace operates more than 600 vehicles along 240 bus routes
    in its service area. Pace also provides feeder services to 122 Metra
    rail stations and 25 CTA rail stations. Commuter services are
    provided from 11 park and ride facilities to employment centers
    throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. In FY2004, Pace carried
    31.4 million passenger trips on its fixed-route bus service, 1.5
    million trips on paratransit and 1.4 million on vanpool services.

-   [Gary Public Transportation Corporation (GPTC)]{.underline} -- GPTC
    operates 13 routes in the areas within and surrounding Gary,
    Indiana. GPTC operates approximately 30 fixed-route buses during
    peak periods as well as two paratransit vehicles. GPTC carried 1.5
    million passenger trips on its fixed-route service in FY2004 and
    5,900 passenger trips on paratransit.

-   [City of Kenosha DOT]{.underline} -- The City's Department of
    Transportation provides public transit services as Kenosha Transit.
    Kenosha Transit operate 48 fixed-route buses along 10 routes. The
    City also operates an electric streetcar (i.e., light rail) using an
    historic trolley. The line operates on a loop that serves the
    downtown area, the Harborpark Development and the Metra Commuter
    Rail Station. According to NTD data, Kenosha Transit carried 1.6
    million trips on its fixed-route service in FY2004. Kenosha's
    streetcar service carried 58,900 and paratransit carried 17,100
    passenger trips.

IV. **Number and Proportion of Minority, Below Poverty and Limited
    English Proficient Populations in Relation to the Transit Service
    Area**

![](media/image3.jpeg){width="6.001388888888889in" height="6.0in"}

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="2.96875in"
height="3.0520833333333335in"}**Map 11.3: Chicago-Naperville-Joliet,
IL-IN-WI CSA Minority Population**

Total Number of Census Tracts in CSA 2,105

Total Population of CSA 9,302,726

Total Minority Population residing in CSA 3,051,134

Regional Average of Minority Population in the CSA 38%

Number (%) of Census Tracts with above average minority population 831
(39%)

Total Minority Population in the above average census tracts 2,163,818

According to the U.S. 2000 Census data, the average minority population
for the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet CSA is 38 percent. Of the 2,105 census
tracts in the CSA, 831 have a minority population that exceeds the
regional average. As shown in Map11.3, many of these census tracts are
located within the city limits of Chicago. However, a number of these
tracts also are in North Chicago and Joliet, Illinois as well as Gary,
Indiana. With the exception of one census tract in Kankakee County, all
of the census tracts with the highest percentage (80 percent and above)
of minority population are in these urban areas. Many of these tracts
fall within the bus transit service area. There are 81 census tracts
with a higher than average minority population that lie outside of the
transit service area. These census tracts account for 3.8 percent
(355,877 persons) of the CSA's total population.

![](media/image5.jpeg){width="5.848611111111111in" height="6.0in"}

![](media/image6.jpeg){width="2.920138888888889in"
height="2.9972222222222222in"}**Map 11.4: Chicago-Naperville-Joliet,
IL-IN-WI CSA Below Poverty Population**

Total Number of Census Tracts in CSA 2105

Total Population of CSA 9,302,726

Total Below Poverty Population residing in CSA 954,168

Regional Average of Below Poverty Population in the CSA 13%

Number (%) of Census Tracts with above average Below Poverty pop. 702
(33%)

Total Below Poverty Population in the above average census tracts
609,635

On average, the percentage of the population in the CSA that is below
the poverty level equals 13 percent. Approximately 33 percent (702
census tracts) of the CSA's census tracts have a below poverty
population that exceeds the regional average. The population of below
poverty individuals that are in these census tracts is roughly 609,000.
As with minority population, the areas in which the below poverty
population is concentrated include Chicago, North Chicago and Joliet in
Illinois, and Gary, Indiana. Isolated areas with greater than average
below poverty populations also occur in Kankakee and DeKalb counties.
Similar to the minority population, many of these census tracts fall
within the bus transit service area. However, 70 census tracts,
representing approximately three percent (271,701 persons) of the CSA's
total population, lie outside of the transit service area.

![](media/image7.jpeg){width="5.832638888888889in" height="6.0in"}

![](media/image8.jpeg){width="2.90625in" height="3.0in"}**Map 11.5:
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI CSA Limited English Proficient
Population**

Total Number of Census Tracts in CSA 2105

Total Population of CSA 9,302,726

Total Population 5 years and older of CSA 8,617,563

Total LEP Population\* residing in CSA 1,017,833

Regional Average of LEP Population\* in the CSA 11%

Number ( %) of Census Tracts with above average LEP population\* 666
(32%)

Total LEP Population\* in the above average census tracts 793,279

\* LEP includes those 5 years of age and older

There are slightly more than 1 million people in the CSA who are persons
with limited English proficiency (LEP). This represents about 11 percent
of the CSA's total population. As shown in Map 11.5, the census tracts
with higher than average populations of LEP persons are scatted
throughout the CSA, but with some concentrations in the Chicago and
North Chicago areas. There are also some areas to the west of Chicago
with higher than average concentrations of LEP populations. Although a
fair proportion of these census tracts are within the bus transit
service area, many are outside of it. In fact, 109 of the 666 census
tracts with a higher than average LEP population are outside of the
transit service area. These census tracts account for 6.6 percent
(613,834 persons) of the CSA's total population.

V.  **Number and Proportion of Zero Car Households: Greater than the
    Regional Average**

![](media/image9.jpeg){width="5.832638888888889in" height="6.0in"}

**Map 11.6: Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI CSA Zero Car
Households**

![](media/image10.jpeg){width="2.90625in" height="3.0in"}

Total Number of Census Tracts in CSA 2105

Total Households in the CSA 3,355,583

Total Zero Car Households in CSA 453,809

Regional Average of Zero Car Households in the CSA 17%

Number (%) of Census Tracts with above average Zero Car Households 752
(36%)

Total Zero Car Households in the above average census tracts 360,226

Nearly half a million households in the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet CSA do
not have access to a vehicle. This represents approximately 17 percent
of the total number of households in the CSA. The census tracts that
exceed the average are predominantly located in the Chicago metropolitan
area as shown on Map 5.6. Other pockets of census tracts with higher
than average zero car households also are located in Gary, Indiana and
North Chicago, Illinois. As shown in Map 11.6, the vast majority of
these households are served by bus transit. Only 25 census tracts with
higher than average zero-car households are outside of the transit
service area. These tracts account for less than one percent (81,471
persons) of the CSA's total population.

VI. **Number and Proportion of Minority Population with Overlay of Below
    Poverty Population**

![](media/image11.jpeg){width="5.848611111111111in" height="6.0in"}

![](media/image12.jpeg){width="2.9166666666666665in"
height="3.0in"}**Map 11.7: Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI CSA
Minority Population with an Overlay of Below Poverty Population**

The percentage of minority population is shown overlaid with the
percentage of below poverty population in Map 11.7. As shown in this map
there are 619 (29.4 percent) census tracts that have coincident
populations of minorities and persons below the poverty level that are
greater than the regional averages for these statistics. The correlation
between these two statistics is strongest in downtown Chicago, Illinois;
North Chicago, Illinois; and Gary, Indiana. Kankakee County also shows a
number of tracts in which there are higher than average populations of
both minorities and persons below the poverty level.

VII. **Number and Proportion of Minority Population with Overlays of
     Below Poverty Population and Zero Car Households**

![](media/image13.jpeg){width="5.848611111111111in" height="6.0in"}

![](media/image14.jpeg){width="2.9166666666666665in"
height="3.0in"}**Map 11.8: Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI CSA
Minority Population with Overlays of Below Poverty Population and Zero
Car Households**

The relationship of minority population, below poverty population and
zero car households is shown on Map 11.8. Census tracts in which all
three of these statistics exceed the regional averages are primarily
located in Chicago, Illinois and Gary, Indiana. Of the 2,105 census
tracts in the CSA, 530 census tracts (25.2 percent) have minority
populations, below poverty populations and zero car households that
exceed the regional average for these statistics. Pockets of similar
census tracts also are located in North Chicago and Joliet.

VIII. **Correlation Among Minority Population, Below Poverty Population,
      LEP Population and Zero Car Households**

  --------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
  * *             *Minority*    *Below        *LEP*         *Zero Car HH*
                                Poverty*                    

  Minority        1.00                                      

  Below Poverty   0.74          1.00                        

  LEP             0.05          0.08          1.00          

  Zero Car HH     0.70          0.82          0.06          1.00
  --------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------

**Table 11.2: Chicago-Naperville-Joliet CSA Correlation Coefficients**

There is a strong positive correlation between minority and below
poverty populations. The correlation coefficient measures the
relationship with which these two statistics vary together. As shown in
Table 11.2, the coefficient for the relationship between minority and
below poverty is 0.74. The table also shows a slightly less strong
relationship between zero car households and the minority population
(coefficient equals 0.70) and zero car households and the below poverty
population (coefficient equals 0.82). There does not appear to be any
correlation between LEP and any of the other statistics.

IX. **Natural Disasters**

+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| *           | **Date**    | **Location**      | **Human  | **F      |
| *Event(s)** |             |                   | Impact** | inancial |
|             |             |                   |          | Impact** |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Severe      | October 7,  | DuPage, Cook      | 10       | \$8      |
| Storms,     | 1986        |                   | injuries | million  |
| Flooding    |             |                   |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Tornadoes   | August 29,  | DeKalb, Kane,     | 29       | \$250    |
|             | 1990        | Kendall,          | deaths\  | million  |
|             |             | Kankakee, Will    | 350      |          |
|             |             | counties          | injuries |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Ice Storm,  | March 29,   | Lake, LaPorte,    | 1 death  | \$25     |
| Severe      | 1991        | Porter counties   |          | million  |
| Storm       |             | (IN)              | 6        |          |
|             |             |                   | injuries |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Severe      | May 8, 1998 | Jasper, Lake,     | *(a)*    | *(a)*    |
| Winter      |             | LaPorte, Newton,  |          |          |
| Storm       |             | Porter counties   |          |          |
|             |             | (IN)              |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Severe      | July 11,    | Jasper, Lake      | 4        | \$218    |
| Storms,     | 2003        | Newton, Porter    | deaths\  | million  |
| Tornadoes,  |             | counties (IN)     | 0        |          |
| and         |             |                   | injuries |          |
| Flooding    |             |                   |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Severe      | April 23,   | Kankakee, Will    | 8        | \$13.4   |
| Storms and  | 2004        | counties (IL)     | deaths\  | million  |
| Tornadoes   |             |                   | 12       |          |
|             |             |                   | injuries |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Severe      | June 3,     | Jasper, Lake      | 2        | \$40.9   |
| Storms,     | 2004        | Newton counties   | deaths\  | million  |
| Tornadoes,  |             | (IN)              | 38       |          |
| and         |             |                   | injuries |          |
| Flooding    |             |                   |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Severe      | June 18,    | Kenosha County    | none     | \$2.4    |
| Storms and  | 2004        | (WI)              |          | million  |
| Flooding    |             |                   |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Severe      | January 21, | Jasper, Lake      | 1 death\ | \$12.5   |
| Winter      | 2005        | LaPorte, Newton,  | 1 injury | million  |
| Storms and  |             | Porter counties   |          |          |
| Flooding    |             | (IN)              |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Heat Wave   | July 10-17, | City of Chicago   | 600+     | *(a)*    |
|             | 2005        |                   | deaths   |          |
|             |             |                   |          |          |
|             |             |                   | Numerous |          |
|             |             |                   | injuries |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+

*(a) Not available*

**Table 11.3: 20-Year History of Natural Disasters in the
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet CSA** *(Source: FEMA and NOAA National
Climatic Data Center)*

Given the climate of the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet CSA, it is not
surprising that the most frequent disasters results from severe storms.
Severe summer storms in this region can cause damaging tornadoes and
flooding. Although the damaging effects of summer thunderstorms with
high winds and the potential for tornadoes are clear to many regardless
of their local climate, the damaging effects of winter storms are not
always realized. These effects can be numerous including economic,
personal, and environmental. Winter storms result in large snow
accumulations, which can shut down business for periods of time; icing
conditions, which can cause damage from fallen tree limbs and power
lines; and sudden snow melt, which can cause flooding.

A recent natural disaster, the 1995 Chicago heat wave, resulted in over
600 heat-related deaths in Chicago over a five-day period. Chicago and
many other large cities remain vulnerable to heat-related disasters due
to large populations of elderly, poor persons living in the heart of the
city. These persons are less likely to have access to air conditioning,
less likely to have strong social support structures, and are more
likely to keep their windows closed due to fear of crime, increasing
their vulnerability to heat exhaustion, heat stroke and other
heat-related illnesses.

On a scale ranging from Moderate to High, to Very High Risk, the United
States Geological Survey rates two of the states that comprise this
region (IL, IN) as having High Risks of earthquakes.

X.  **Man-made Disasters**

Due to its central location in the United States combined with
geographic barriers in the northern tier of the country, Chicago is
uniquely positioned as a gateway for much of the human and freight
transportation that occurs in the country. The CSA is home to two major
airports, as well as freight rail and trucking distribution centers. As
a result there is potential for accidents involving the transportation
of hazardous materials via any of these modes. The region also is home
to many manufacturing sites (including chemical and defense contractor
facilities), which expose it to a number of different industrial
accidents with the potential for regional impact.

Although there are no nuclear power plants within the CSA, there are six
facilities nearby in the State of Illinois that pose a potential threat
in the event of a radiological release. These facilities are either west
or south of the CSA. As such, in the event of a release the prevailing
winds could bring radioactivity into the area. Other radiological
facilities that are in the CSA include the Department of Energy's
Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois. However, according to the labs website,
the levels of radioactive materials used by Fermilab are unlikely to
pose any threat to the surrounding communities.

As with any other major metropolitan center with diverse industries and
major population centers, the threat of terrorism against any of these
industries, facilities and centers is real. Therefore, in addition to
accidents resulting in a disaster caused by radiological or chemical
release, disasters resulting from sabotage and direct attack could also
occur. 2005 data from the U.S. Department of Transportation on Hazardous
Material Safety shows the states included in this region (IL, IN, and
WI) accounted for 10% of the hazardous materials incidents and no
related deaths for the year.

A review of information available through state and federal sources did
not indicate that there have been any major man-made disasters in the
region during the past 20 years.