Since GO TO 2040 was adopted in October 2010, the issues addressed in our region's comprehensive plan have seen many far-reaching changes.  CMAP has initiated an "update" of GO TO 2040 as required by MAP-21, which calls for regional plans such as this to be revised every four years.  The draft GO TO 2040 plan update will be released for public comment in summer 2014, during which meetings will be held throughout the region to solicit feedback.  The update will be submitted in October for adoption by the CMAP Board and MPO Policy Committee. 

While the plan's four themes (livable communities, human capital, efficient governance, and regional mobility) and 12 recommendation areas will not change, the update process allows CMAP to:

• Consider the region's transportation priorities in light of updated, robust financial analysis regarding what revenues metropolitan Chicago can expect to fund major capital projects over the coming decades. 
• Enhance the alignment of GO TO 2040 recommendations with responsible parties to reflect progress, restructuring of federal programs, and other variables since adoption.
• Reevaluate the indicators and associated targets used to measure progress on plan implementation.

Residents and other stakeholders can follow this process at www.cmap.illinois.gov/about/2040/update. As described in September 2013 and January 2014 staff memos to the CMAP Board, the plan update is broken into a series of projects. Research and analysis is being reviewed through CMAP's Working Committees, with relevant memos and presentations gathered on the plan update web page. Watch for future Policy Updates that will summarize materials related to the plan update.

As the seven-county metropolitan Chicago region's official comprehensive plan, GO TO 2040 establishes coordinated strategies that help its 284 communities address regionwide population growth of more than 2 million new residents anticipated over the next three decades. The plan's primary objective is to ensure the region is economically prosperous with sustainable, livable communities through mid-century and beyond. Significant progress has been made, as reflected in the Moving Forward 2013 implementation report, yet many regional priorities will take years of effort before they are fully realized.

The three-year development of GO TO 2040 unified local leaders, residents, and stakeholders around a common vision for the future. Rather than merely fulfill federal requirements, CMAP intends for the plan update to reinvigorate the region's commitment to GO TO 2040 implementation with an ambitious yet realistic approach that reflects current and anticipated challenges and opportunities.