Press Releases 2011

NEWS RELEASE:  Millennium Reserve open space project features $10 million for bike trails, 12-9-11
The Millennium Reserve project's Calumet Core phase aims to restore 15,000 acres of open space in Chicago and south suburban Cook County.  Important aspects are funded by the CMAQ program, including more than $10 million for a continuous bikeway from the Chicago lakefront to Joliet.  At the event, CMAP executive director Randy Blankenhorn described the project's importance regarding GO TO 2040 priorities for quality of life, the environment, health, mobility, economic development, and more. 

NEWS RELEASE:  Federal, state grants of $7 million benefit west Cook housing, 12-3-11
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity awarded $4.2 million to the West Cook County Housing Collaborative, a CMAP-supported effort of Bellwood, Berwyn, Forest Park, Maywood, and Oak Park. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will also provide $2.9 million to create or update the communities' comprehensive plans. 

NEWS RELEASE: Five-year, $411 million transportation program funds 115 projects to reduce congestion, improve air quality in metropolitan Chicago, 10-12-11
The CMAP Board and MPO Policy committee voted on October 12, 2011, to approve the FY2012-16 Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program. Through these transportation projects, residents of metropolitan Chicago will benefit from improved transit, roads, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities. The $411 million in federal transportation funds are being targeted to support the GO TO 2040 comprehensive regional plan's goals for reducing congestion and improving air quality. Read more in this press release.

NEWS RELEASE: CMAP releases free MetroPulse iPhone app for on-the-go access to regional indicators data, 8-15-11
CMAP released the MetroPulse iPhone app, which allows users to view indicator data about the region's counties, municipalities, and Chicago community areas. Users can also use the iPhone's GPS features to locate themselves within a place and find data about that place. Read more in this press release.

NEWS RELEASE: Energy Impact Illinois Debuts Information Hub, 6-1-11
To improve the energy efficiency of residential, commercial, and industrial properties, EnergyImpactIllinois.org was launched this summer as an information hub for residents of the Chicago region and Rockford.  Visitors to the site will find resources to facilitate building improvements for homes or businesses, saving energy and money while reducing the region's carbon footprint.  The hub is an initiative of Energy Impact Illinois, an alliance of CMAP, utility companies, government agencies, and citizen advocacy groups working together to create a long-term market for improving the energy efficiency of the region's buildings.  The effort is made possible through a $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) BetterBuildings Initiative.  Read more in this press release.