February 5, 2010

Water in the Trib.  This week the Chicago Tribune featured the Northeastern Illinois Water Supply/Demand Plan, which was unanimously approved by the Regional Water Supply Planning Group on Tuesday, January 26.  In a sign of the media times, a central story by Jeff Long was accompanied in targeted suburban editions with an article of local interest.  Check out the versions for north and west suburbs and the city.  The Wheaton Sun's Cindy Cain also had a story on the water plan and what it means for Will County.

Recovery blog.  Want to know the latest stimulus news?  Check out this week's Economic Recovery Update.  We also blogged about the latest stimulus report from Illinois and guidelines for the new Cash for Appliances rebate program in Illinois.  See our Economic Recovery Update archive for past newsletters.

Economic development summit.  Over 100 professional planners, community and economic developers, and city and village administrators attended a summit held by CMAP at the ComEd Commercial Center in Oak Brook on Monday, January 25.  The event, "Process, Pitfalls, and Profit:  Effective Market Analysis Techniques," included workshops designed to offer practical advice on best practices in planning and economic development in order to coordinate local and regional planning efforts.  See our website for presentations and a meeting summary.   

Public comments for TIP.  I wanted to remind you that the CMAP Transportation Committee released a conformity amendment to the 2007 to 2012 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).  This amendment is open for a public comment period of 45 days, from January 6 until February 20, 2010.  Conformity analysis is part of the transportation modeling process that evaluates the impact of projects on air quality.  On-road vehicle emissions are reviewed in certain years (currently 2010, 2020, and 2030) to determine whether the region will reach national air quality goals.  Click here for the cover memo and a list of conformity amendments.  Comments can be made via e-mail, phone at (312) 386-8780, in person at the CMAP offices (800 S Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606), or by mail to the same address.

CMAQ buses.  The Illinois EPA (IEPA) has been awarded $1 million in federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) funds from CMAP for the purchase and installation of equipment to reduce diesel emissions from school district-owned school buses in the greater Chicago area.  Eligible equipment includes diesel oxidation catalysts, closed crankcase ventilation units, diesel particulate filters, and direct-fired heaters.  Additional information and application materials can be found at www.illinoisgreenfleets.org in the Clean School Bus section.  For more information, contact Mike Rogers at IEPA (217-524-4408).  

Cash for appliances.  The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) released guidelines for the Illinois Energy Star Appliance Rebate program, which is being funded with $12.4 million in stimulus funds.  The program provides "point of purchase rebates" for individuals to replace older appliances with specific residential Energy Star qualified appliances, water heaters, and HVAC equipment.  Read more about the program on our Recovery blog. 

Upcoming workshops/conferences.  On Wednesday, March 3, 2010, two conferences are being held.  "Natural Lawn Care Basics" will be at the Holiday Inn Select in Naperville from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., and How to Write a Fundable 319 Grant will be at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.  Experts from the Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District, Safer Pest Control Project, and Integrated Lakes Management will help individuals learn how to grow a healthy, sustainable, natural lawn at the first workshop.  At the second workshop, representatives from IEPA, U.S. EPA, CMAP, and Prairie Rivers Network will present information about the Clean Water Act "Section 319" Nonpoint Source Pollution Control grant program and provide tips and insights for developing well-prepared grant applications.  Arboretum staff will also be leading a tour of their successful 319 grant applications.  Registration for both events must be completed by February 15 through the Illinois Lake Management Association (ILMA), and there is a $15 registration fee for both events. 

ILMA is also hosting its 25th annual conference from March 4-5 at the Holiday Inn Select in Naperville. Join lake enthusiasts and experts from across the state to learn, share, and discuss lake watershed management approaches and techniques.  For conference call, hotel information, and a registration form, visit www.ilma-lakes.org or call ILMA at (800) 338-6976, access code 01. 

Urbanophile.   See blogger Aaron Renn's interesting take on how to promote transit ridership. 

CMBOC event.  It was an honor to speak at the Chicago Minority Business Opportunity Center's annual "Corporate Bridges" event last November, where I moderated a panel of representatives from government agencies that are directly or indirectly using funds from both stimulus and other government sources.  This week the center posted a recap of the event.

In the GO TO 2040 blog.  We featured a simple but elegant photo of a bicyclist for our Monday Flickr Photo.  Also, we recapped our opening event for the photo show in Oak Park featuring our 12 Images of Northeastern Illinois Photo Contest winners at the Prairie Bread Kitchen.  The show will be up at the bakery through the month of February. 

Energy webinar. CMAP will be conducting a webinar on geothermal energy on February 26, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. Mark your calendars to hear three panelists discuss the design, applicability, and benefits of geothermal heating and cooling, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says is the cleanest alternative energy source.  More details will be available soon.

Water plan approved.  The Regional Water Supply Planning Group unanimously approved the Northeastern Illinois Water Supply/Demand Plan on Tuesday, January 26.  The plan is the culmination of over three years of hard work and includes more than 200 recommendations for how to preserve and conserve our water supply from now to 2050.  You can read a press release online, with additional graphs from the report here.  Read more about the plan in Crain's Chicago Business, Circle of Blue, The Beacon-News, Chicago Public Radio, and Kane County Chronicle, 

High-speed rail coming to Illinois.  Illinois received $1.23 billion in stimulus funds for high-speed rail on Thursday, January 28.  The grant will cut travel time between Chicago and St. Louis by almost 25 percent and eliminate a bottleneck for Metra, Amtrak, and freight railroads on the South Side of Chicago.  The State of Illinois had applied for $4.5 billion of the $8 billion available for this round of stimulus funding.  Illinois has already committed $400 million for high-speed rail, according to the Chicago Tribune.  Other Midwest grants announced include $823 million to Wisconsin for the Minneapolis-Madison-Milwaukee-Chicago corridor and $244 million to Michigan for the Detroit-Chicago corridor.  Read more about funding for high-speed rail at Crain's Chicago Business.  A description of the Illinois project (with details of a separate $31 million grant to Missouri for connecting St. Louis with Kansas City) is available online, as well as a national map and fact sheets describing other funded projects.  An interactive map is available at The Wall Street Journal.

PPPs in the news.  A story by Rich Wronski of the Tribune described survey results indicating the public would oppose privatization of the Illinois Tollway.  It raises some important issues, and I'm glad to see the issue being discussed.  A significant majority of residents polled expressed opposition, based in part on the perception that fees would be likely to increase.  The story also makes a good point about why, if and when public-private partnerships (PPPs) are considered, the revenue raised should not be diverted to cover non-transportation gaps in government budgets.  With the current status of our economy and state and local budgets, PPPs need to be part of the discussion, especially when so many people need reminding that infrastructure and public services are not free.

New U.S. EPA air standard.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced this week that they were updating the national nitrogen dioxide air quality standard for the first time since 1971.  This received considerable press coverage, in part because Cook is the only county nationally that, based on available data, would not meet the standard.  Actual designations of nonattainment areas will occur in two years and will be based on more recent data, which are anticipated to show cleaner air for the region.  Short term nitrogen dioxide exposures have been linked to increased asthma symptoms and an increase in respiratory illnesses.  More information on air quality is available in the recent CMAP Air Quality snapshot report.  CMAP programmed $42.3 million this year in Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality improvement program funds to reduce emissions from diesel trucks, buses, and locomotive engines.  Older diesel engines are a major source of nitrogen oxides, so these projects will help the region meet the standards sooner.

New media archive.  CMAP has a new media archive for 2010 that allows users to search content by subject and date.  It will be updated every other Tuesday with the latest media coverage as it relates to our organization.  Interested in some of our older press?  Our media archive for 2007 - 2009 is still available online.  Don't forget about our main CMAP newsroom, where you can find the latest weekly updates, press releases, and other related content. 

Green business event reminder.  The 2010 State of Green Business Forum is coming to Chicago on February 9, 2010.  Dave Meyers of Johnson Controls and a roster of industry leaders will share real-world insight on important trends in green and sustainable business practices, from carbon management to green marketing.  Attendees will receive a copy of the "State of Green Business Report 2010," a set of graphics for your own presentations, and a collection of reports, white papers, and presentations for reference and planning.  For more information, visit http://greenbiz.com/stateofgreenbusinessforum2010.  

NSP2.  The Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) posted an article this week on how we should continue to move forward on regional efforts despite not being awarded money from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 (NSP2). The Chicago Metropolitan Neighborhood Stabilization Program Consortium (CMNSPC), led by CMAP and partners, was not awarded money despite its interjurisdictional approach to foreclosure recovery. MPC's Robin Snyderman also wrote an interesting article about how federal incentives can fuel local innovation earlier this month. 

Radio show.  If you missed me on the Mike Nowak show last Sunday, you can listen to the interview online here.  It was a good opportunity to talk about CMAP and the GO TO 2040 comprehensive regional plan.

Census time.  Starting in February, keep an eye on your mailbox at home for your family's Census questionnaire.  This year's survey is just ten questions long and should only take ten minutes of your time to complete.  We've updated our Census page with a handy schedule to keep you informed of all of the major milestones in the 2010 Census.

Spotlight on green communities.  For three hours every other Saturday, residents of the Village of Oswego bring telephones, radios, TVs, computers, and other recyclable electronics to the Village's public works facility.  The goal is to keep electronic material from ending up in landfills.  Since the first event in August 2007, Oswego's E-Recycle program has succeeded in preventing over 113 tons of electronics from doing just that.  You can find out more about Oswego's E-Recycle program online.  If there are specific green practice case studies you would like to read about, or if you'd like to see your community featured in the spotlight, contact Lori Heringa by phone at 312-386-8621, or by email at lheringa@cmap.illinois.gov. 

New partners in Full Circle:  Village of Barrington.  Early last year, CMAP solicited proposals for funding from our Full Circle community planning and mapping project.  This week, we will highlight the outcomes of Barrington's comprehensive businesses survey project to create streamlined, in-house business information to support Barrington's Business Outreach Program (B-BOP), business recruitment and retention, as well as improve service delivery and communication with local businesses.  Read a full description of the project and its outcomes here. 

Recovery blog.  We blogged about a new green jobs resource and stimulus money coming to Illinois for high-speed rail. In case you missed it, last week's Economic Recovery Update is also online. 

Scenario link.  Audrey Henderson of Examiner.com wrote about the preferred Regional Scenario and our recent Burnham Goes to 2040 event.

In the GO TO 2040 blog.  We featured a vibrant photo from the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe on Monday for our weekly Flickr photo.  CMAP's Erin Aleman also wrote a post about how the arts and urban design collide, which includes information about a new National Endowment for the Arts grant supporting planning, design, and arts engagement. 

Northeastern Illinois photography show.  This Saturday, and throughout February, you can visit Prairie Bread Kitchen in Oak Park to view the dozen winning photographs from our Images of Northeastern Illinois Photo Contest.  Join some of the artists and CMAP staff on January 30 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the bakery for the launch event.

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Regional Scenario.  See www.cmap.illinois.gov/2040scenario to download our new Regional Scenario report.  Even if you've already seen the draft text version, be sure to see this new illustrated one, which really makes the document come to life.  Also, read about the scenario in a CMAP press release.  The scenario -- one last precursor to the GO TO 2040 comprehensive regional plan that will be available in draft form this spring, with implementation of the final plan to begin in October 2010.  The Regional Scenario establishes clear policy directions that CMAP will pursue in the plan itself, which is intended to guide growth and investment choices through mid-century and beyond in the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will.  Based on two years of research, analysis, and public input, the scenario tackles pressing issues that require coordinated solutions at the local and regional levels.  The Daily Herald had a story about it in today's paper.

Burnham goes to 2040.  Yesterday we welcomed a big roomful of more than 70 partners from last year's Burnham Plan Centennial, who visited CMAP to hear about the new preferred Regional Scenario and how they can help spur the GO TO 2040 plan's implementation.  Opening remarks were made by former centennial blogger Pat Reardon, and we took the opportunity to present plaques to centennial stalwarts Emily Harris and Laurie Scott in recognition of their extraordinary efforts.  CMAP will convene a series of quarterly meetings to engage the GO TO 2040 partners, among whom we are now very happy to include the former centennial partners.

Radio interview.  I'll be stopping by the Mike Nowak Show on WCPT at 9:00 a.m. this Sunday, January 24, 2010, to discuss the preferred Regional Scenario and our progress on GO TO 2040.  Tune in to 820-AM if you live in the city, 92.7 (North), or 99.9 (South). 

Future of rail.  Last Friday I attended the rail conference convened by Governor Quinn and sponsored by the Environmental Law & Policy Center and the Northwestern University Transportation Center.  Especially interesting was the discussion about our state's prospects for federal high-speed rail funding, which could play a very significant role in future economic development.  Read about it in the Trib and Daily Herald. 

Transportation funds.  For the one-year redistribution of ARRA funds for transportation, a snapshot will be taken of stimulus spending by all the states at 11:50 p.m. on March 1, 2010.  If Illinois has obligated all of its ARRA funds at that time, it will not be penalized by losing unobligated funding and it will have access to any redistribution of funds from other states that have not obligated all of their stimulus funds.  At this point in time, Illinois (including the state, locals, transit agencies) is in good shape to have all funds obligated on time.  If on March 3, 2010, Illinois deobligates some of its ARRA funds, the state will not lose that money as long as those funds were obligated again by the deadline of September 30, 2010.  Beyond September 30, 2010, ARRA funds will not be permitted to be reobligated.  Obligated balances are available for expenses incurred until September 30, 2015, at which point any remaining balance will be cancelled.  Click here for a list of Q&A for stimulus questions from state departments of transportation.

Recovery blog.  Be sure to check out this week's Economic Recovery Update, which features a case study on work being done with stimulus funds in Lake County, as well as information about the new Illinois Cash for Appliances rebate program. 

New partners in Full Circle:  Yorkville.  Early last year, CMAP solicited proposals for funding from our Full Circle community planning and mapping project.  This week we will highlight the outcomes of the City of Yorkville's project to survey trees within the city's parkway system with the objective of developing a tree and landscaping ordinance.  Read a full description of the project and its outcomes here.  

Free bus rides.  Pace Route 714 is running free of charge from January 19 through January 29, 2010, thanks to a CMAQ grant.  The bus runs between the College of DuPage, the downtown Naperville Metra station, the IIT Rice Campus, downtown Wheaton, and the Wheaton Metra station. 

Peters Fellowship reminder.  CMAP and the Steering Committee of the Phillip D. Peters Regional Planning Fellowship Program are pleased to announce the availability of a fellowship during the summer of 2010.  The competition is open to students enrolled in a graduate degree program in planning or a related field. Click here for the position announcement, application guidelines, and recommendation form.  The deadline is Wednesday, February 17, 2010.  Questions regarding the fellowship should be directed to Catherine Holland-Hatcher, HR Associate, at 312-386-8772 or chollandhatcher@cmap.illinois.gov. 

Expressway vehicle miles travelled report.  CMAP staff recently updated a report of vehicle miles traveled on the region's expressways and tollways.  The report now examines data through 2008.  The data showed continuing moderation in historical VMT growth.  Factors affecting regional expressway VMT are explored, including Tollway reconstruction and pricing charges; recent Southland road improvements; regional variations in growth and employment; motor fuel costs; changes in travel mode share; and recent high unemployment. 

Northeastern Illinois photography show.  Don't forget to visit Prairie Bread Kitchen in Oak Park starting next Saturday, January 30 to view the dozen winning photographs from our Images of Northeastern Illinois Photo Contest.  The show will run for the entire month of February.  Join CMAP staff on the 30th from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the bakery, and you can also meet some of the artists.  Thanks again to Prairie Bread Kitchen for the opportunity to show off these beautiful images of our region.

2010 calendar.  Speaking of the Photo Contest, CMAP has also created an appealing 2010 calendar featuring each of our winning photos.  You can order one for yourself (or a friend) online for free.  Supplies are limited, so order today. 

In the GO TO 2040 blog.  We have a new post from CAC member Robert Munson about how Chicagoland compares to the three cities of Berlin, Paris, and London in terms of transit. 

Tweet tweet.  Do you follow our Twitter feed?  We're just a few followers shy of 600, and we'd love to connect with you.  Check it out at http://twitter.com/GOTO2040.

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CMAP Board meeting recap.  At this week’s meeting, the Board endorsed the preferred Regional Scenario, which describes the key policy directions that will be the focus of GO TO 2040.  The Board and the MPO Policy Committee endorsed the document with a few minor word changes that will be reflected in the final version that we intend to distribute in next week’s email.  With this endorsement, staff will continue to work with the committees and the Board over the next few months to develop specific recommendations or policies in the areas highlighted in the preferred Regional Scenario. 

Continuing with our schedule of potential GO TO 2040 recommendations, the Board focused its attention on data sharing and transparency.  After a brief overview from the staff explaining how the topic fits within GO TO 2040 and why it should be a priority recommendation, the Board discussed the direction we want to go in the regional plan.  Next month, we will focus our attention on land use and housing and resource conservation.

MPO Policy Committee recap.  At their meeting on Thursday, the Policy Committee also endorsed the preferred Regional Scenario.  Additionally, they discussed the ongoing work for the transportation financial plan and major capital projects that will be included in GO TO 2040.  Following up from a request at their last meeting, the Committee also listened and engaged in a discussion concerning a presentation about CMAQ funding of private-sector diesel emission reduction projects that focused on their air quality benefits and a brief history of the projects throughout the region. 

The Committee voted to approve the implementation plan for CMAQ rescissions that will address the $83 million reduction in the northeastern Illinois Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program funds that occurred last year.  To decide how the Surface Transportation Program (STP) rescission should be addressed, the Committee agreed to activate their SAFETEA-LU committee.  Finally, the Committee was updated on the status of the transportation related components of the ARRA program, including the region’s progress on the formula programs.  The Policy Committee will meet next on March 11, 2010. 

Tax snapshot. Don't miss "State and Local Taxation:  Existing Conditions and Issues of Significance in Metropolitan Chicago," the latest report in our Regional Snapshots series.  It describes a range of key issues related to state and local tax policies, along with existing state and local revenue sharing arrangements. The report also summarizes current research on the relationship between taxation, business activity, and land use decisions.

State legislative update.  This week the General Assembly convened for the beginning of the Spring legislative session and on Wednesday the Governor gave his State of the State address.  As was discussed at both the CMAP Board and Policy Committee meetings, CMAP’s legislative priority for this year is to restore the Comprehensive Regional Planning Fund.  The fund was created and passed into law in 2007 for comprehensive regional planning throughout Illinois.  CMAP utilizes this fund to match federal transportation funds and also to support the agency’s non-transportation planning activities.  We will continue to work with the Governor’s office, IDOT and the General Assembly members to restore the fund this year.  Additionally, as the legislative session gets underway, staff will be monitoring and responding to relevant bills that move through the legislative process.

Water in the news.  As you may have seen, the front page of Thursday's Tribune had a feature about efforts by some Lake County communities to get access to water from Lake Michigan.  It quotes Tim Loftus of CMAP with regard to the Regional Water Supply Planning Group's draft water plan, which the group will vote to approve on January 26.  The story also includes a map based on GIS data that we provided.  Also, the water advocacy nonprofit Circle of Blue has a story on the draft plan. 

NSP2 news.  Congratulations to local recipients of stimulus grants through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2, including the City of Chicago ($98 million), City of Evanston ($18.2 million), and Chicanos Por La Causa ($13.5 million).  CMAP and its partners in the Chicago Metropolitan Neighborhood Stabilization Consortium (CMNSPC) worked very hard to submit a strong proposal that was not funded, which is especially disappointing in light of the HUD solicitation's language encouraging regional cooperation.  That proposal seemed to hit all the right notes and was based on real and extensive collaborations, which I am confident will continue despite this setback.  We look forward to hearing from HUD regarding their reviewers' rationale in not funding a consortium project that would have had extremely widespread benefits across the seven-county region.  Still, it's good news that more than $160 million overall will come to Illinois for keeping people in their homes and creating jobs in these difficult times.

FTA New Starts change.  On Wednesday, USDOT Secretary Ray LaHood announced that the Federal Transit Administration has changed the process for rating and evaluating New Starts and Small Starts projects.  The change will remove the cost-effectiveness rating as the only limiting factor in recommendations for funding and will now use the overall project rating. This change is being made to take into account the full range of benefits that transit can provide, with special focus on economic development, environmental, social, and congestion relief benefits that are key factors in USDOT’s livability and sustainability initiatives.  The FTA is expected to start soon on a rulemaking process to accomplish this policy change.  The comprehensive planning of the GO TO 2040 campaign has placed northeastern Illinois in a good position with regards to the new direction.  A copy of Secretary LaHood’s letter is available here.

RACC making waves. The Regional ARRA Coordinating Council (RACC)was recently spotlighted in the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank's Profitwise News and Views newsletter for its coordination with organizations like CMAP, The Chicago Community Trust, and other groups focused on issues of housing, energy, and workforce development.

Northeastern Illinois photography show. To share the dozen winning photographs from our Images of Northeastern Illinois Photo Contest we’ve planned to have the photos on display starting Saturday, January 30, at Prairie Bread Kitchen in Oak Park. The show will run for the entire month of February.  Please join CMAP staff on the 30^th from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the bakery, and you can also meet some of the artists.  Thanks to Prairie Bread Kitchen for the opportunity to show off these beautiful images of our region.

2010 Calendar. Speaking of the Photo Contest, CMAP has also created an appealing 2010 calendar featuring each of our winning photos. You can order one for yourself (or for a friend) online for free.

Planning awards.  Congratulations to the Wicker Park and Bucktown Special Service Area (WPB) for three recent awards honoring the Master Plan for Wicker Park and Bucktown (WPB). The plan received a 2010 National Planning Excellence Award for Public Outreach from the American Planning Association, a Special Achievement Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois, and recognition from the Congress for New Urbanism Illinois.  Read the full announcement here.  

Green business event.  The 2010 State of Green Business Forum is coming to Chicago on February 9, 2010.  Dave Meyers of Johnson Controls and a roster of industry leaders will share real-world insights on important trends in green and sustainable business practices from carbon management to green marketing.  Attendees will receive a copy of the "State of Green Business Report 2010," a set of graphics for your own presentations, and a collection of reports, white papers, and presentations for reference and planning.  For more information, go to http://greenbiz.com/stateofgreenbusinessforum2010.

Water funding opportunity.  The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is providing $250 million in grants and project agreements targeted at restoring the health of the Great Lakes.  Any proposals seeking an endorsement from Chicago Wilderness should contact Chris Mulvaney (chris.mulvaney@chicagowilderness.org or 847-242-6424) immediately.

Sustainable downtowns.  The Downtown Advocate's Wyman Carey blogged about the importance designing a sustainable downtown for Pingree and the steps necessary for success.  In one of a four-part series, Carey emphasized the need to coordinate with government and transit authorities, including CMAP.

Mythbusters.  EcoMyths Chicago's December 2009 Myth of the Month answers the question: Are we protected against water shortfalls because we live next to Lake Michigan? CMAP's Tim Loftus fashioned the answer.

Recovery blog.  In case you missed it, we blogged about the Illinois Economic Recovery Plan and more green jobs coming to Chicago this week. 

The CMAP Channel.  Did you know you can subscribe to the CMAP You Tube account?  That way you can receive an email each time we update it with our latest videos and news coverage.  Sign up today.

In the GO TO 2040 blog. We featured a serene photo of the Des Plaines River near Willow Springs as our Monday Flickr Photo. CMAP’s Diana Torres also summarized the DuPage Environmental Summit held earlier this month.

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December 17, 2009

Energy efficiency grant proposal. This week, in partnership with the cities of Chicago and Rockford and on behalf of our seven-county region, CMAP submitted a $75 million proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Efficiency Retrofit Ramp-up program. The grant would help fund a strategy we're calling the "Chicago Region Retrofit Ramp-up" (CR3), which takes a comprehensive approach to facilitating retrofits of commercial and residential buildings across the region. The regional strategy would create efficiencies and economies of scale by improving access to information and financing and by building a strong workforce to support retrofits. I believe CR3 is a groundbreaking example of regional collaboration, and it exemplifies the strong local leadership and commitment to becoming a more energy-efficient region.

If funded by DOE, CR3 would result in a viable local market that maximizes the number of retrofits throughout metropolitan Chicago, is economically sustainable for years to come, and is scalable and replicable elsewhere. In recent years, the CR3 partners have created a solid base of research into the region's energy consumption, while developing practical strategies for improving efficiency. The proposal leverages more than $911 million in local resources and responds directly to the DOE program's goal of making strategic investments that will help the nation to achieve energy independence and take a leadership role in addressing climate change. We're optimistic about the proposal's chances of being funded, and CMAP would like to thank all of those involved in developing the CR3 strategy.

Scenario briefings.Today was the last of about twenty GO TO 2040 preferred Regional Scenario briefings that I gave to stakeholder groups around the region. This was an important step to hear people's reactions and get their buy-in for our current draft, which will be submitted for CMAP Board approval on January 13. The draft preferred Regional Scenario is an overview of the policy recommendations that will be specified in the GO TO 2040 comprehensive regional plan. Those policies will be based on more than two years of rigorous research and extensive public input. As the last major product before the draft plan is issued in June 2010, the draft preferred scenario is CMAP's best description to date of where the plan will take our region through mid-century and beyond. I would have to say that the response to the draft scenario was quite positive, even as stakeholders expressed serious concerns about the challenges their communities face. CMAP certainly recognizes there's no one-size-fits-all solution. But by tackling the region's problems together, we can make progress that an individual community would be hard-pressed to achieve on its own.

NSP3 in the pipeline. Though awards for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 (NSP2) have yet to be announced (including our region's pending proposal), the U.S. House has now approved $1 billion from TARP dividends paid by financial institutions to fund a third round. NSP3 is intended to enable states and local governments to stabilize declining neighborhoods through the rehabilitation and redevelopment of foreclosed and abandoned properties. Click here to read about the CMAP-led application for NSP2 funds.

Carpentersville partners with Full Circle. The village board of Carpentersville has voted unanimously to create a Carpentersville Business Development Commission to help attract, retain, and expand commercial and industrial businesses. The village currently has a 15-percent vacancy rate for business properties, reports the Courier News. The collection of business data for the village was conducted with the help of two interns and a $12,000 grant through CMAP's Full Circle program.

GO TO 1857. Compare a current Google Earth satellite view of our region with an overlay map showing Chicago as it looked in 1857. You can zoom in or adjust the overlay's transparency to see how much the landscape has changed -- or how much it hasn't, in some cases. It's part of the David Rumsey Map Collection, which includes many other fascinating cartographic tools.

DuPage Environmental Summit. Don't miss the seventh annual DuPage Environmental Summit, which is being hosted at the Krasa Center at Benedictine University in Lisle on January 7, 2010. It will include professional exhibits, presentations by industry experts, and networking opportunities. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested. Contact the Conservation Foundation (630-428-4500, ext. 10, or cthompson@theconservationfoundation.org).

Sustainable Communities Initiative. Some progress was made in implementing this initiative when Congress passed an omnibus bill that included a Transportation-HUD Appropriations conference report (HR 3288). The bill included $100 million for Regional Integrated Planning Grants to support linking transportation and land-use planning, of which at least $25 million must be granted to metropolitan areas of less than 500,000; $40 million is for Community Challenge Planning Grants to foster reform and reduce barriers to achieve affordable, economically vital, and sustainable communities; and the remaining $10 million is for HUD and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to use to rigorously evaluate the two new grant programs.

Before funding is made available to either grant program, the Secretaries of HUD and DOT must submit a plan to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, the Senate Banking Committee, and the House Financial Services Committee that establishes grant criteria and performance measures to evaluate grantee success.Sustainable Communities funding would be jointly administered by HUD and DOT.

TONIGHT: Burnham film on WTTW. Tune in to Channel 11 this evening, Thursday, December 17, at 8:00 p.m. to see the broadcast debut of "Make No Little Plans: Daniel Burnham and the American City."

Burnham blog. Having wished Pat Reardon well last week after what we thought was his last entry as the Burnham blogger, I was pleasantly surprised to see that he has added a great entry on our draft Preferred Regional Scenario.

Spotlight on Green Communities. The Village of Niles is this month's case study in our new CMAP website feature, "Spotlight on Green Communities." Their community rain garden and natural landscaping project were subsequently featured in the Journal Online. For more about the spotlight, contact Lori Heringa (312-3896-8621 or lheringa@cmap.illinois.gov).

A win for Burnham. The City of Chicago vehicle sticker contest winner has been chosen from a pool of 300 students from 39 schools. Lookman Muhammed's design, depicting "Burnham's Chicago," won the vote and will grace the front windows of vehicles registered in the City of Chicago beginning June 2010. Muhammed is a junior at Lawrence Hall Youth Services and hopes to one day attend UIC.

Spread the shovel. The Active Transportation Alliance wants you to help spread the word about clearing sidewalks to promote safe walking this winter. Their shovel campaign provides information and printable flyers (in English and Spanish) for neighbors to share. Residents of the city and suburbs can download flyers reminding neighbors of their responsibility to make sidewalks clear for safe travel, or flyers thanking a neighbor for taking the time to shovel their walk.

In the GO TO 2040 blog. We featured an old CTA station as our Monday Flickr Photo. CMAP's Anne Holub also wrote about a recent New York Times article and how issues of water contamination affect the region.

Recovery blog. Confused about how to calculate the number of jobs created or saved by the stimulus? Check out this week's blog post on a helpful Job Count Calculator tool.

Improving safety on the lakefront trail. Cyclists and pedestrians compete for diminished space on the lakefront trail near Navy Pier, reports the Chicago Journal. A solution is on the way, however, in the form of a flyover bridge, funded in part with federal funds through CMAP's Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program (CMAQ).

Stimulus to improve water. The unincorporated Will County neighborhood of Ridgewood will address a decades-long problem of bad water, reports the Herald News. For an additional fee, residents will be able to access water from the city of Joliet by next summer after construction of a new trunk line for water and sewer, funded primarily with stimulus money.

Spotlight on Naperville. The Daily Herald did an interesting profile on Naperville's plans to create a Smart Grid with stimulus funds. The purchase of 57,323 "smart meters" will let the city and residents track their energy use. The U.S. DOE will cover $11 million of the project, which Naperville will match with $11 million. Only 100 cities were chosen under this energy program.

Arrested urban sprawl. The Chicago Sun-Times published an article on the large number of undeveloped neighborhoods located on the "urban fringe" due to the real estate downturn., Once the housing market recovers, new buyers will likely choose smaller homes that are closer to job centers, according to housing consultant Steven Hovany. Think your neighborhood is quiet? Read about this lone home in a complex of planned developments that was expected to hold more 1,837 additional families.

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CMAP Board recap.  At this past Wednesday's meeting, the Board focused its attention on two potential recommendations for GO TO 2040, transportation finance and transit.  Following a brief overview from the staff explaining how the topic fits within GO TO 2040 and why it should be a priority recommendation, the Board discussed the direction we want to go in the Plan.  Next month, we will focus our attention on land use and housing and data sharing.  The Board will also consider endorsement of the preferred Regional Scenario.

Burnham Centennial meeting.  It's hard to believe, but we are near the end of what has been a terrific year-long celebration of the 1909 Plan of Chicago.  That accomplishment has enriched all our lives in countless ways, and whether they realize it or not, every resident of this region is deeply indebted to Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett.  I'd like to thank the centennial organizers, and particularly Emily Harris, Laurie Scott, Paul O'Connor, and other staff for helping to remind the region why planning matters.  In bringing GO TO 2040 to fruition, CMAP will continue to do its best to live up to the high standards set by Burnham and by the centennial itself.

Burnham blog.  I also regret to pass along that Burnham blogger extraordinaire Pat Reardon has posted his last entry on the centennial website.  I wish him nothing but success in his future endeavors and hope our paths will continue to cross.

What we heard this past summer.  Interested in learning how more than 20,000 residents in northeastern Illinois want to see the region develop?  You can now read a CMAP news release based on feedback we gathered during our GO TO 2040 "Invent the Future" phase of public input.  Residents want more transit options and compact development, and also support increased investments in transit and expanded programs for natural resource conservation.  See this fact sheet for charts summarizing the input and for details of how the draft preferred Regional Scenario addresses priorities expressed by participants.

Mayors story.  The Reporter On-line has an article with quotes from CMAP Board chairman Gerald Bennett, mayor of Palos Hills, and from some of his fellow mayors about what it takes to run a municipality.

Urban policy forum.  This week, WBEZ posted audio from the recent forum, "Chicago and the American Metropolis: Urban Policy and Our Region's Future," which featured Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley and Valerie B. Jarrett, senior advisor to President Obama for public engagement and intergovernmental affairs.  The discussion was moderated by George A. Ranney, president and CEO of Chicago Metropolis 2020.

Transportation in the news.  The Tribune had a pair of cover stories this week about Metra station improvements and construction on the Kennedy Expressway, the latter quoting CMAP's Tom Murtha regarding much-needed safety improvements.

Spotlight on Green Communities.  Whether they're purchasing renewable energy, recycling construction debris, or installing permeable paving, communities in northeastern Illinois are getting greener.  In a new CMAP website feature, "Spotlight on Green Communities," we're highlighting communities and park, conservation, and forest preserve districts willing to share their experiences with selected green practices.  This month's case study features the Village of Niles' community rain garden and natural landscaping project.  If there are specific green practice case studies you would like to see, or if you'd like to see your community featured in the spotlight, contact Lori Heringa by phone at 312-386-8621, or by email atlheringa@cmap.illinois.gov.

OnEarth cover story.  The new edition of OnEarth magazine features GO TO 2040, metropolitan Chicago's comprehensive regional plan that will guide development and infrastructure decisions through mid-century and beyond.  Several communities are described by journalist Laura Wright, who contrasts growth patterns of the 20th Century with the type of redevelopment and infill that CMAP and its partners seek to promote now.  The places profiled are Blue Island in south Cook County, the Prairie Crossing development of Grayslake in Lake County, and West Garfield Park on Chicago's west side.  There's no one-size-fits-all solution to how these and other communities can meet their challenges.  However, the many needs they have in common -- for example, efficient infrastructure that contributes to economic development and resource conservation while letting people live nearer to where they work -- are prompting our communities to work together toward a more prosperous and sustainable region.

Vote.  It's once again time for residents of the City of Chicago to vote for their favorite design for the Vehicle City Sticker.  This year's student' produced designs tout a familiar face for those who are fans of the 1909 Plan of Chicago.  Vote through Sunday online or in person.

In the GO TO 2040 blog.  On Tuesday we featured a photo of a very furry Illinois resident.  On Wednesday we posted about our recent Invent the Future phase findings.  CMAP's Shana Alford posted about what residents can do to aid their homes' winter weatherization (an especially topical subject!).

Green business forum.  Mark your calendar for the second annual State of Green Business Forum coming to Chicago on February 9, 2010.  The one-day event coincides with the release of GreenBiz.com's "State of Green Business 2010," the annual status report on corporate environmental trends and progress.  Hosted by Joel Makower, Executive Editor of GreenBiz.com and featuring industry experts and leader, the report will be brought to life with speakers and panels focusing on key business trends and issues.  For more information and to register, go to http://greenbiz.com/stateofgreenbusiness/CHI.

Open data.  The New York Times published an article on the federal government's efforts to make data public for developers and local governments.  It showcased a lot of interesting ideas in New York and California.  Sometimes, data sharing can become a source of contention, with battles over licensing fees and whether entrepreneurs should have access to a data flow.  Chicago has its own success story of data sharing in the free online resource Every Block, which offers information about a neighborhood down to the street level.  The Regional Indicators project of CMAP and the Chicago Community Trust is another great example of data sharing as we work to make helpful information accessible to residents.

FLIP update.  The 2010 Future Leaders In Planning (FLIP) cohort has had an amazing year so far, with visits to The Glen, Prairie Crossing, the CTA Control Room, the Polish Triangle, Bronzeville, City Farm and many others.  FLIP participants are transitioning to development of their final project, which will consist of a guidebook for high school students on how to implement strategies described in the draft regional preferred scenario. To learn more about what we're doing and see pictures and video, become a fan of FLIP on Facebook.

In the Idea Zone.  We posted about the recent Burnham Centennial Partners meeting, the latest developments with the Regional Indicators Project, and three new additions to the Strategy Papers library. Check out the Idea Zone to see the latest GO TO 2040 goings-on.

Recovery blog.  Check out this week's Economic Recovery Update, which spotlights the work the City of Joliet is doing with stimulus money and provides important information and news items on stimulus programs in the region.  We also blogged about the White House's plans for job creation.

Project notification.  The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) issues a monthly Project Notification to apprise state legislators, local governmental officials and other interested parties of applications for federal and state grants that may have an impact on their communities.  The notification summarizes project descriptions submitted to CMAP.

Your Town RFP.  The National Endowment for the Arts is funding four Your Town: The Citizens' Institute on Rural Design workshops and has issued an RFP to produce a workshop between now and November 2010.  This is a great opportunity to bring design professionals into your community to tackle critical regional planning and design issues.  Communities must be located in a non-metropolitan area and have a population of less than 50,000 to be considered rural.

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C

CMAP Board meeting.  At 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 9, 2009, the CMAP Board will meet.  Click here for Board meeting materials.  Neither of the coordinating committees will meet this month.

Regional energy report.  Among the many GO TO 2040 strategy papers, we've commissioned a few by partner organizations.  The latest is by the Center for Neighborhood Technology regarding the region's patterns of energy consumption and possible strategies to manage them.  The report and appendices are linked at our strategy papers web page.

Recovery blog.  Check out our regularly updated Recovery blog, where we provide useful stimulus information and resources. Interested in finding and rating local stimulus projects?  Read more at our blog.  Recovery Zone Facility Bonds are now available for counties and large municipalities in each state, and you can read more here.  In case you missed it, don't forget about last week's Economic Recovery Update.

ROI Model training.  CMAP's Return on Investment (ROI) Model is designed to help municipalities achieve the type of development they want (such as mixed-use), by testing whether such development is financially feasible under their existing land use regulations (more details can be found here).  On Friday, December 11, 2009, CMAP will offer a free class from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to train municipal planners how to use this helpful tool, which itself is provided free of charge to municipal staff once they complete the training.  Space is limited to 10 participants, so please contact Stephen Ostrander at sostrander@cmap.illinois.gov.

Market-analysis workshop.  CMAP and its partners invite you to a seminar on January 25, 2010, designed to offer practical advice to planners, economic developers, and municipal managers on getting the most out of a market analysis.  The event, "Process, Pitfalls, and Profit:  Effective Market Analysis Techniques," will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Monday, January 25, 2010, at the ComEd Commercial Center, 1919 Swift Dr., Oak Brook, IL 60523.  It will consist of two panels.  The first will discuss best practices and basic principles of conducting an effective market analysis.  The second will address marketing techniques that are geared specially to these challenging economic times.  Registration is $50, with lunch included.  RSVP by January 11, 2009, to the Illinois Development Council via fax at 217-241-4683 or phone at 217-528-5230 x4.  Please make non-refundable checks payable to the Illinois Development Council, 225 E. Cook St., Springfield, IL 62704.

Argonne brownfield research.  Argonne National Laboratory in DuPage County has a five-acre outdoor "lab" where they're testing cheap methods for cleaning up brownfield sites using a specially created type of tree with roots that grow straight down to collect and filter contaminated water.  Learn more about brownfields at the GO TO 2040 Strategy Papers page.  By the way, Argonne received multiple stimulus grants for research totaling more than $10 million;  read more in our Economic Recovery Newsletter.

Amtrak analysis.  UIC urban planning grad student Steven Vance blogged this week about how Amtrak operations are affected by freight congestion, referencing a draftGO TO 2040 report.

RTA budget hearings.  The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) will host public hearings December 7-10 to discuss the 2010 budget and provide an update on the RTA Strategic Plan.  In addition, the budget and Strategic Plan update will be presented through webinars, posted on the RTA website, and made available at certain libraries in the region.  Visit the RTA website for more information.

I-290 Congress Parkway bridge rehabilitation project.  The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will rehabilitate the Congress Parkway Bridge beginning in spring 2010.  The scope of work includes rehabilitating the existing bridge structurally, electrically, and mechanically, thus making a smoother ride for the motoring public.  In addition, I-290 Eisenhower Expressway will begin resurfacing from Thorndale to the Circle Interchange.  Furthermore, the Chicago Department of Transportation will begin a reconstruction of Upper and Lower Wacker Drive from Randolph St. to I-290 Congress Parkway.  IDOT appreciates your patience and urges the motoring public to begin taking necessary steps like alternate route planning, car pooling, flexible work schedules, and public transportation to avoid traffic.  Please visit http://www.dot.il.gov/congresspkwy/index.html for more information.

IDOT call for projects.  The department has announced a call for projects for the local rail/highway grade crossing safety program.  Applications are due by January 15, 2010.  This program funds local safety improvements at rail/highway grade crossings.

Mix and match.  Gapersblock.com pointed us to a clever sorting of the country's 50 largest metropolitan areas arranged in silhouette by population.  See if you can pick out Chicagoland in the bunch.

Holy carp.  Remember a blog last year by CMAP's Lindsay Banks about the invasive Asian Carp? We said that the Asian Carp was within 50 miles of the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal -- which is a mere two days' swim for the voracious fish. Now, the Asian Carp has oficially made it into the canal. This week, officials dumped poison into the canal to kill any of this invasive species that might be present while they repair the electrical barrier that was installed to prevent the fish from spreading into the Great Lakes. So far, only one Asian Carp has been found, but the Alliance for the Great Lakes argues that these electrical barriers are not a long-term solution, and has proposed six options for separating the watersheds to stop the transfer of species between them. 

Photo contest update.  On Tuesday we accepted the last submission of beautiful regional photographs for our 2009 Images of Northeastern Illinois Photo Contest.  We're busy sorting the hundreds of photos and will be announcing winners soon after our judges get a look at them.  Thanks again to our prize sponsors and judges, including the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Active Transportation Alliance, Richard Stromberg's Chicago Photography Classes, Gapersblock.com, the Metropolitan Planning Council, the Illinois Humanities Council, the Chicagoland Digital Photograph Meetup Group, and Irv & Shelly's Fresh Picks.

Burnham film premiere.  The theatrical debut of "Make No Little Plans: Daniel Burnham and the American City" will occur on Sunday, December 13, 2009, at 3:00 p.m. at the Gene Siskel Film Center.  A panel discussion with the producers, Chicago Architecture Foundation leadership, architects, and academics will take place immediately after the screening.  A second screening will be held Monday, December 14 at 6:00 p.m. at the Siskel Center.  And don't forget that WTTW Channel 11 will air the broadcast premiere at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 17.  Tickets to the screening are $10.00 for general admission, $7.00 for students, $4.00 for School of the Art Institute students and faculty, and Art Institute staff, $5.00 for Siskel Film Center members.  For more information, call the center at (312) 846-2800.  All ticket levels are available at the Gene Siskel Film Center Box Office, which opens at 5:00 p.m. on weekdays and 2:00 p.m. on weekends.  Only general admission tickets are available through Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787 or at ticketmaster.com.

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GO TO 2040 splash page.  We've redesigned the main GO TO 2040 page, which now has a graphic timeline of where we are in our planning process.  Above the timeline (yes, we know it looks like a football field, by the way), you'll find quick links to items recently added to the Idea Zone section, which is where you can find many more details, including the draft preferred Regional Scenario and our growing list of Strategy Papers and Snapshot Reports.

In the Idea Zone.  The Regional Indicators project shared information on new data for "food insecure" households. Illinois ranks near the bottom, which is a very positive thing.

Humanites Festival audio.  The Chicago Humanities Festival has posted audio from a year ago, when I was part of a panel discussing GO TO 2040 and high-speed rail.  It's interesting to note how far the HSR discussion has progressed since then due to federal stimulus funding.

GO TO 2040 shout-out.  Our comprehensive regional plan got a nice mention in remarks made by John Robinson of the Institute of Resources, Environment and Sustainability at the Trudeau Foundation's recent conference on "Canadian Cities and the Public Sphere:  Rethinking the Urban Commons." 

Recovery blog.   Confused about stimulus job creation numbers? Visit our Recovery blog to read more on tracking job creation, errors, and corrections in recipient reporting. Also, don't miss today's CMAP Economic Recovery Update.

Home sales increase.  There was good news this week regarding the increase in home sales which were one-third higher in October 2009 than October 2008, according to the Illinois Association of Realtors.  Read about it in Crain's Chicago Business.

A light on the South Side.  WBEZ has a nice piece on Exelon's pilot solar power plant in Chicago's West Pullman neighborhood. The project is bringing jobs as well as revitalization to a brownfield area. It also will create the largest urban solar power plant in the country, supplying power to 1,200 homes, right here in Chicagoland.

Last call for the photo contest.  Until 5:00 p.m. on December 1, we're accepting entries to the 2009 Images of Northeastern Illinois Photo Contest. We're asking residents of Cook, DuPage, Will, Kane, McHenry, Lake, and Kendall counties to pull out their cameras and capture what they value about the region. Two winners (a First Prize and runner-up) will be selected in each of the following categories, along with one overall contest winner and runner-up: Diversity, Community Vitality, Natural Environment, Architecture/Urban Design, and Transportation. More details and full contest rules are posted online at http://www.goto2040.org/photocontest. Please contact Lindsay Banks 312-386-8826 with questions or email photo@cmap.illinois.gov.

In the GO TO 2040 blog.  We featured a lovely photo on Monday taken in Zion's Illinois Beach State Park.

Twitter milestone.  We surpassed 500 followers in our Twitter account this week. It's just one way you can stay connected to CMAP and the GO TO 2040 Plan. You can start following us today.

	Check out the GO TO 2040 blog.
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	Check out our photos of the region at the GO TO 2040 Flickr page, and add your own to our Explore Northeastern Illinois Flickr pool.
	Click here to be added to this CMAP weekly update distribution.

CMAP Board recap.  At this past Wednesday's meeting, the Board focused its attention on two potential GO TO 2040 recommendations, tax policy and open space and parks. Following a brief overview from the staff explaining how the topic fits within GO TO 2040 and why it should be a priority recommendation, the Board engaged in a lively and spirited discussion on the direction we want to go in the Plan. Next month, we will focus our attention on transit and transportation finance.

Tinley Park honors.  For the second straight year, a town from our region has topped Business Week's list of the best communities for raising a family.  Congratulations to Tinley Park, which is #1 in the magazine's analysis that considers affordability, safety, school test scores, and other factors.  Last year's top U.S. community for families was Mount Prospect.

Homeowners resource.  The Regional Home Ownership Preservation Initiative (HOPI) has launched a terrific new website, www.regionalhopi.org, with stories, research, and data about efforts to limit foreclosure impacts in northeastern Illinois.  The Regional HOPI site also lists relevant events and other outreach to homeowners and renters who may be struggling to keep their homes.  CMAP is a partner in the initiative's extensive network of non-profits, housing counseling agencies, government agencies, private initiatives, and others on the front lines of helping our communities and their residents weather these difficult times. 

Foreclosure series. The Regional HOPI site was highlighted as part of Chicago Public Radio’s series “Facing the Mortgage Crisis,” which has a blog, features, and an online resource guide for homeowners in the Chicago area. This week, they covered a 27-unit condo building in Washington Park on Chicago’s South Side where most of the units are in foreclosure, along with several organizations' efforts to help the remaining owners. If you have mortgage or foreclosure questions, you can also share your own story with their panel of experts.

ARRA/CMAQ project news.  The Journal On-Line has a story about the Northwest Municipal Conference reconstruction project for Palatine Road between Smith Street and Northwest Highway.  The work will be funded by the Village of Palatine, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and CMAP's Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program (CMAQ).

Census 2010.  CMAP is partnering with the U.S. Census Bureau to alert communities and residents of the need to respond to Census 2010, which is just around the corner.  Many government funding formulas are weighted heavily for population, so incomplete census tallies can literally cost our region and its communities millions of dollars per year.  And we at CMAP rely heavily on the accuracy of data that the census provides.  Starting next spring, the 10-question form will be mailed to all known U.S. residences.  Read some Census 2010 facts, or visit the website http://2010.census.gov. Read more about census data for the region at the CMAP Census page.

Plano planning.  The Plano City Council's meeting for November included a visit by Illinois Secretary of Transportation Gary Hannig and discussion of the important role that rail  transportation can play in that community, Kendall County, and the region.  The council also discussed the new workforce development strategy paper that was developed by the Chicago Jobs Council with support from The Chicago Community Trust as part of GO TO 2040.  Read more in the local news coverage.

Peoria talk.  I was delighted earlier this week to speak at the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission's transportation symposium in Peoria, and you can read about it in the  Peoria Journal Star.  It's great to see that region coming together to plan more effectively and comprehensively.  I'd like to thank Terry Kohlbuss of the Peoria MPO for the chance to describe our efforts here and hopefully to inspire them to plan boldly.

RTA budget hearings.  The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) will host public hearings in December to discuss the 2010 budget and provide an update on the RTA Strategic Plan.  Click here for details. 

Photo contest continues.  All month long we're accepting entries to the 2009 Images of Northeastern Illinois Photo Contest. We're asking residents of Cook, DuPage, Will, Kane, McHenry, Lake, and Kendall counties to pull out their cameras and capture what they value about the region. Two winners (a First Prize and runner-up) will be selected in each of the following categories, along with one overall contest winner and runner-up: Diversity, Community Vitality, Natural Environment, Architecture/Urban Design, and Transportation. More details and full contest rules are posted online at http://www.goto2040.org/photocontest. Please contact Lindsay Banks 312-386-8826 with questions or email photo@cmap.illinois.gov.

In the GO TO 2040 blog. We had a lovely sunrise photo from the Openlands Lakeshore Preserve in Lake County as our Monday Flickr Photo. CMAP’s Justine Reisinger wrote about a recent regional workforce development meeting where stakeholders shared ideas for the future of northeastern Illinois. And Anne Holub wrote about a talk given recently by the founder of Craigslist, Craig Newmark, and his opinions on internet innovations.

Local and regional cooperation.  Citiwire.net has a noteworthy editorial by David Warm.  It's titled, "Great Regions, Great Neighborhoods: Two Sides of the Same Coin?"

Burnham film on WTTW.  Mark your calendar for 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 17, 2009, when the film "Make No Little Plans:  Daniel Burnham and the American City" will be aired on Channel 11. 

Economic development advocacy.  The Illinois Development Council (IDC) will host a governmental affairs training session and a social media presentation from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on December 2, 2009, at the Northwest Marriott Hotel, 4800 Hoffman Boulevard, in Hoffman Estates.  The morning will focus on how IDC can achieve promote statewide economic development and will include discussions with several legislators and their staff.  The afternoon centers is about how social networking can expand business opportunities.  Seating is limited, so register soon.

	Check out the GO TO 2040 blog.
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	Become a fan of GO TO 2040 on Facebook.
	Check out our photos of the region at the GO TO 2040 Flickr page, and add your own to our Explore Northeastern Illinois Flickr pool.
	Click here to be added to this CMAP weekly update distribution.