The regional vision describes how the region should look in 2040, building on results from prior plans and exten­sive public input. It is an illustrated document that describes our region's aspirations for the future. The vision describes our desired future environ­ment, economy, social systems, and governance structures, and it will guide the recommendations of the plan. From fall 2007 through spring 2008, residents helped to write the vision through surveys and public meetings.

View the Regional Vision

CMAP produced a series of Regional Snapshot reports on complex planning topics that needed to be addressed in the plan, such as sustainability, jobs-hous­ing balance, and infill redevelopment. These reports helped gauge the region's current status on these issues, and included recommenda­tions about how they might be addressed in the GO TO 2040 plan. Snapshot reports are available for download:

View the GO TO 2040 Regional Snapshots

In addition to describing our desired future and understanding our current conditions, CMAP evaluated different planning strategies for implementing the re­gional vision. The evalu­ation process helped us to understand which planning strategies were most effective at meeting regional goals. Dozens of interactive papers on the results of our strategy research are posted online:

View the GO TO 2040 Strategy Papers

View the Chicago Community Trust Strategy Papers

CMAP created several alternative future scenarios for the region's devel­opment, each combining a number of planning strategies and each having various implications for quality of life. In summer 2009, as part of the Burnham Plan centennial celebration (www.burnhamplan100.org), CMAP conducted an extensive "Invent the Future" phase of public input. In 57 workshops across the region, on the CMAP website, via multi­media kiosks, and at community fairs and festivals, residents created their own alternative future scenarios. Based on that public feedback and on quantitative analysis to gauge the effects of each scenario on traffic, public health, the environment, the economy, and many other "regional indicators," at the end of this process CMAP identified one preferred scenario that best reflected the region's desired future. The CMAP Board voted on endorse­ment of the preferred scenario in early 2010.

Learn more about Invent the Future

Learn more about the Regional Scenarios

Explore the Community Design Workshop results

Read about the Preferred Regional Scenario

Preferred Regional Scenario press release

Download the Preferred Regional Scenario (PDF)

Once the preferred scenario had been identified, major capital projects were considered for inclusion in the plan, based on how well they implemented the regional vision. These major capital projects include large transportation projects such as rail extensions or highway expansions. The evaluation process began in fall 2009 and concluded in spring 2010.

About the major capital projects

Major capital project selection process

For more information, visit CMAP's Transportation Committee page

The final step was to communicate the plan's recommendations to our plan­ning partners and the public, by launching the implementation of GO TO 2040. The comprehensive regional plan includes recommendations for policies, strategies, and investments in land use and transportation, as well as economic development, environment, housing, and human services. CMAP plays an advisory role in most of these areas, meaning that many of the plan's recom­mendations will be directed to local governments, state agencies, or other groups. The plan prioritizes recom­mended actions, and provides clear guidance to these groups. The draft plan was issued for public com­ment in spring 2010. At this time CMAP received over 1,000 comments on the plan from individuals and agencies across the region. Implementation began immediately after the com­pleted plan was approved by the CMAP Board and MPO Policy Committee on October 13, 2010.

View the drafts of the GO TO 2040 plan

View the final GO TO 2040 plan