About the author: Sara Disney is the Vice President and City Solutions Sector Manager, Central Region at global engineering and advisory firm, TYLin.
This guest blog is part of Elevated Chicago’s ongoing effort to share perspectives from partners advancing equitable transit-oriented development across the region. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and reflect their experiences and expertise. Read more Elevated Chicago guest blogs.
Chicago’s transportation system is one of its greatest assets, yet TYLin’s participation in the City’s Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD) grant program through the Elevated Works initiative reinforced an important organizational insight: proximity to transit alone does not guarantee equitable outcomes. Serving as a technical assistance provider demonstrated that unlocking the full value of transit investment requires intentional coordination, translation, and support—particularly for community-based developers working in neighborhoods historically excluded from infrastructure decision-making.
As part of the Elevated Works technical assistance team, TYLin supported ETOD grant recipients across Chicago, from West Pullman to Rogers Park to Austin. Working across diverse geographies and project types provided the organization with a deeper understanding of the transportation challenges developers face. These challenges were not due to a lack of vision or community knowledge, but rather the complexity of navigating transportation planning processes, agency coordination, and long-range investment timelines without specialized expertise.
Through this work, TYLin gained insight into the role technical assistance plays as a bridge between public-sector transportation systems and community-led development. Many developers had a strong understanding of neighborhood needs but limited access to transportation plans and the tools needed to interpret them. Providing targeted guidance helped translate technical documents, timelines, and jargon into practical, project-specific considerations aligned with development goals.
Project engagements reinforced these lessons. In Woodlawn, supporting Definition Theater required looking beyond existing conditions to help the development team anticipate how CTA’s planned Bus Priority Corridor on Cottage Grove Avenue could influence site access, circulation, and long-term connectivity. In Austin, work with the Westside Health Authority on Avenue Apartments involved reviewing CDOT’s Soul City West corridor plans and helping the developer engage as an informed stakeholder in a broader streetscape transformation. These experiences highlighted the importance of linking long-range transportation planning with near-term development decisions.
Elevated Works clarified that effective technical assistance is not about prescribing solutions, but about enabling informed decision-making. Developers did not need to be convinced of the value of transit-oriented development; they needed support navigating complex systems and coordinating across agencies. This reinforced TYLin’s understanding that transportation expertise is most impactful when it is flexible, relationship-driven, and responsive to local context.
Ultimately, TYLin’s role in Elevated Works strengthened the organization’s understanding of how equitable development is advanced—not only through infrastructure investment, but through intentional partnerships that help communities access, interpret, and shape transportation systems. When transportation expertise is placed in service of community-led development, the result is stronger projects and a more connected, equitable city.
