The Developing Communities Project (DCP), together with Loyola University's Center for Urban Research & Learning (CURL) and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), are set to work on a project for the CTA Red Line extension that demonstrates how the Red Line South Extension would improve livability in the affected community areas.  Based in the far south side Chicago community of Greater Roseland, the CTA Red Line South Extension campaign has been a community priority since 2002.  Building on the partnerships that have been developed by DCP over the past eight years to advocate for and support the Red Line South Extension project, CMAP & CURL will work with DCP's Red Line Oversight Committee to gather qualitative and quantitative information to produce a series of community profiles and stories captured through videos, asset maps and other promotional materials. 

The project will also educate and empower core leadership of community-led groups on extension details, prepping them as key disseminators of project information to the community. Using the findings of two major studies conducted by Voorhees Center that examined transit equity and economic development along with public education materials provided by CTA, CMAP will hold a series of meetings on numerous issues, including but not limited to, land use and zoning implications, the environmental impact statement (EIS) timeline, funding needed/potential funding sources, and preliminary engineering. 

Events

DCP and CURL will be conducting a series of focus groups and individual interviews throughout the community.  If you are interested in participating, please contact Kendra Smith (ksmith@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8774).

Contacts

Kendra Smith, CMAP Associate-Outreach & Community Engagement, (ksmith@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8774) 

Janet Gray, Developing Communities Project, Community Liaison, (jmgray@dcpchicago.org or 773-928-2500)

Julie Hilvers, Loyola University Center for Urban Research & Learning, Community Research Coordinator, (jhilvers@luc.edu or 312-915-8622)