CMAP meetings summary. The Board and the MPO Policy Committee met separately this week and approved two amendments to the major capital project element of GO TO 2040, adding the Circle Interchange and making a technical change to the Prairie Parkway description. Both boards also approved a number of administrative items related to transportation planning and programming, heard updates on major capital projects, and approved the annual review of their Memorandum of Understanding without any changes. Staff provided an update on freight policy at the federal and state levels and also on forthcoming CMAP activities. The CMAP Board reviewed and considered the state legislative report and voted to take the recommended positions on a few bills that are of particular interest to the agency. In addition, the MPO Policy Committee heard an update from the RTA on their strategic plan update. The April meeting is on call for the Board, and the Policy Committee meets next in June.

Policy Updates. We covered a recent vote by the U.S. House of Representatives to fund the federal government through September 2013 on our Policy Updates blog, which would result in a lower level of federal transportation spending than that provided by last summer's transportation reauthorization bill. We also described Governor Quinn's recent budget address.

Manufacturing cluster report. The Policy Updates blog describes how investments in innovation can fuel the region's manufacturing rebound -- the piece features findings from CMAP's new manufacturing cluster report. Visit the Regional Manufacturing Cluster drill-down web page for the summary report, a more-detailed technical report, and an interactive version of our Advanced Manufacturing Scorecard and occupational analysis. Read more about the report in Cogeneration and On-Site Power Production magazine.

 

LTA updates. The Riverside-Brookfield Landmark described an upcoming open house for development of Riverside's Central Business District plan on March 19 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Riverside Township Hall (27 Riverside Road, Room 4, Riverside). The Elm Leaves covered a March 7 open house for the Village of Elmwood Park's draft comprehensive plan. The plan will go to the Elmwood Park Village Board for adoption on Monday, March 18. The Village of Plainfield will hold an open house for the development of its draft transportation plan on March 20 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Plainfield Village Hall (24401 W. Lockport Street, Plainfield). On March 27, an open house will be held at Urban Prep's Englewood campus (6201 S. Stewart Avenue, Chicago) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the draft Green Healthy Neighborhoods land use plan for the Chicago neighborhoods of Englewood, Washington Park, and Woodlawn. The City of Chicago, LISC/Chicago, Teamwork Englewood, the South East Chicago Commission, and Washington Park Consortium are partners with CMAP on that project. The Franklin Park Herald-Journal previewed a new LTA project to develop an industrial areas plan for Franklin Park. The Village of Alsip's Plan Commission unanimously recommended the Alsip comprehensive plan for adoption on March 13. The plan will go to the Alsip Village Board for adoption on April 1. Alsip Mayor Patrick E. Kitching discussed the plan on Comcast Newsmakers.

EDA application. CMAP recently submitted a proposal to the Economic Development Administration (EDA) for funding to expand CMAP’s Local Technical Assistance program. Such a grant would help fuel economic growth in areas with chronic and high unemployment; specifically, CMAP would work with communities to take advantage of opportunities presented by the freight and manufacturing clusters, with emphasis on challenges of workforce and innovation. Several LTA projects have included an economic development component, and EDA funding would allow CMAP to build on those capabilities in support of the communities that most need economic development.

CMAQ in the news. The News-Sun described Lake County's experiences with three roundabouts, which were partially funded through CMAP's Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program. The article also describes the influence of a CMAP strategy paper on roundabouts.

Congestion pricing resources. We added a 2012 Federal Highway Administration guide on priced managed lanes to the resources at www.cmap.illinois.gov/congestion-pricing. To support CMAP's efforts to implement express toll lanes in northeastern Illinois, please contact CMAP principal planner Erin Aleman (312-386-8816 or ealeman@cmap.illinois.gov).

Arts event. Arts Alliance Illinois and J.P. Morgan Chase will host “Make Art Work: How the Arts Impact Jobs, Talent, and Community Vitality in Chicago” on March 19 from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. at the Chase Tower Auditorium (10 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago). Speakers include Governor Pat Quinn and Commissioner Michelle T. Boone of Chicago Cultural Affairs and Special Events, among others. The event is free, but advanced registration is required.

Urban agriculture event. The Delta Institute and the University of Chicago's Graham School will host “Growing Food and Jobs in the City: Seeding and Sustaining Urban Agriculture” on April 4 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the Gleacher Center (450 N. Cityfront Plaza Drive, Chicago). The event will feature a panel of leaders in local food and sustainability and an interactive discussion on urban agriculture. To learn more about supporting sustainable local food systems, visit www.cmap.illinois.gov/food.

Automation event. Manufacturing and production efficiency will be among topics emphasized at the Automation Conference on May 14-15 at the Chicago Marriott O'Hare. Early bird registration pricing ends April 2 for this education and networking event, which is geared to automation professionals across all industries involved in processing, manufacturing, and packaging.

BRT newsletter. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) released a newsletter on bus rapid transit this month, featuring information on new CTA and Chicago Department of Transportation designs for BRT in the Central Loop East-West Corridor, as well as other efforts to implement BRT.