CMAP Media Tip Sheet

June 24, 2014

This tip sheet briefly summarizes newsworthy activities of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). Reporters should contact Justine Reisinger (312-386-8802 and jreisinger@cmap.illinois.gov) or Hillary Green (312-386-8619 and hgreen@cmap.illinois.gov) for more information.

CMAP task force calls for increased planning and investment in metropolitan Chicago's multimodal freight system

A new advisory report by CMAP's Regional Freight Leadership Task Force recommends increased planning, funding, and programming to support metropolitan Chicago's multimodal system. The CMAP Board convened the task force in June 2013 to build on GO TO 2040 recommendations for enhancing the freight system in northeastern Illinois. CMAP also recently coordinated with other major U.S. metropolitan planning organizations to develop a set of freight principles for the next federal transportation reauthorization bill. 

CMAP federal transportation reauthorization principles recommend sustainable funding, freight support

The CMAP Board and MPO Policy Committee approved updated federal transportation reauthorization principles. With MAP-21 set to expire on September 30, 2014 and the Highway Trust Fund expected to reach insolvency in mid-2014, the principles call for federal reauthorization to provide sustainable funding for surface transportation; implement performance-based funding; provide appropriate tools to regions to support the transportation system; and support a robust freight program.

Draft GO TO 2040 plan update available for public comment

CMAP will hold a series of open houses across the region for the draft GO TO 2040 plan update and the proposed FFY 2014-19 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) (meeting details also available in Spanish). Each event will feature plan update materials and the draft FFY 2014-19 TIP for review and comment, with CMAP staff on hand to answer questions. Residents can also submit feedback on-line through August 1, 2014. The CMAP Board and Policy Committee will vote on adoption for the plan update this October. 

Illinois local motor fuel tax revenues are distributed by formula, rather than by need

The latest post in a three-part series of Policy Updates evaluates the effectiveness of the Illinois local motor fuel tax (MFT) sharing program.  While the CMAP region receives relatively large allotments of local MFT funding per lane mile, its allotments are relatively small when considering traffic levels. Municipalities in the CMAP region account for 71 percent of all local MFT allotments to municipalities in Illinois, which compares to their 51 percent share of lane miles.  But the average traffic volume for a municipal highway in the CMAP region is 264 percent that of a municipal highway in the state as a whole. The first post in this series includes background on transportation revenue-sharing.  The final post will explore the relationship between municipalities and townships in the local highway system and its funding.

Policy changes can improve long-term energy conservation among manufacturers

A new CMAP Policy Update explores how state and federal regulation, utility infrastructure improvements and incentives, and supply-chain demands from the largest manufacturers are likely to be the primary drivers of energy conservation within the manufacturing sector. The piece was part of three-part series on the potential for increased energy efficiency by local manufacturers.  Prior entries focused on consumption patterns and uptake of energy efficiency improvements and how infrastructure, regulations, and market changes  may affect energy consumption.