On this page are recent CMAP news products (press releases, tip sheets, and other content of interest to reporters and the general public.   See the right-hand navigation menu for news products from previous years.  Please direct any press inquiries to CMAP communications director Tom Garritano (tgarritano@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8609) or communications associate Justine Reisinger (jreisinger@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8802).
 

Recent News Products

CMAP Media Tip Sheet, 5-16-12
Our tip sheet from May 16, 2012, includes information on free media registration for the May 24 LTA Ideas Exchange; new animations show I-90 truck travel speeds; a new parking strategies report; and more.

CMAP Media Tip Sheet, 4-16-12
Our tip sheet from April 16, 2012, includes information on the first LTA Ideas Exchange; Energy Impact Illinois introduces "Impact Teams"; new features on MetroPulse; and more.

CMAP Media Tip Sheet, 3-15-12
Our tip sheet from March 15, 2012, includes information on  a new report for the tri-state area on the need to collaborate for economic competitiveness; Moving Forward: 2010-11, the first annual GO TO 2040 implementation report; the latest details on transportation reauthorization; a new energy calculator for commercial building owners; and more.  

CMAP Media Tip Sheet, 2-16-12
Our tip sheet from February 16, 2012, includes information on funding for a sidewalk project in the Fairmont community, the release of housing policy plans for South Cook communities, and coverage of the latest details on federal transportation reauthorization on CMAP's Policy Updates blog.

CMAP Media Tip Sheet, 1-13-12
Our tip sheet from January 13, 2012, includes information on the potential loss of transportation funding our region faces based on its attainment status, encouraging transportation indicators from 2006 to 2010 American Community Survey data, our Policy Updates series on public-private partnerships and transportation, upcoming Local Technical Assistance program meetings, and the Millennium Reserve project.

NEWS RELEASE:  Millennium Reserve open space project features $10 million for bike trails, 12-9-11
The Millennium Reserve project's Calumet Core phase aims to restore 15,000 acres of open space in Chicago and south suburban Cook County.  Important aspects are funded by the CMAQ program, including more than $10 million for a continuous bikeway from the Chicago lakefront to Joliet.  At the event, CMAP executive director Randy Blankenhorn described the project's importance regarding GO TO 2040 priorities for quality of life, the environment, health, mobility, economic development, and more. 

NEWS RELEASE:  Federal, state grants of $7 million benefit west Cook housing, 12-3-11
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity awarded $4.2 million to the West Cook County Housing Collaborative, a CMAP-supported effort of Bellwood, Berwyn, Forest Park, Maywood, and Oak Park. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will also provide $2.9 million to create or update the communities' comprehensive plans. 

NEWS RELEASE: CMAP releases free MetroPulse iPhone app for on-the-go access to regional indicators data, 8-15-11
CMAP released the MetroPulse iPhone app, which allows users to view indicator data about the region's counties, municipalities, and Chicago community areas. Users can also use the iPhone's GPS features to locate themselves within a place and find data about that place. Read more in this press release.

Video Overview of the CMAP Local Technical Assistance Program, 7-13-11
New in the GO TO 2040 video series is an overview of the Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program begun in March 2011 by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), with support from a three-year, $4.25 million competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as part of the federal interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

NEWS RELEASE: Energy Impact Illinois Debuts Information Hub (6-1-11)
To improve the energy efficiency of residential, commercial, and industrial properties, EnergyImpactIllinois.org was launched this summer as an information hub for residents of the Chicago region and Rockford.  Visitors to the site will find resources to facilitate building improvements for homes or businesses, saving energy and money while reducing the region's carbon footprint.  The hub is an initiative of Energy Impact Illinois, an alliance of CMAP, utility companies, government agencies, and citizen advocacy groups working together to create a long-term market for improving the energy efficiency of the region's buildings.  The effort is made possible through a $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) BetterBuildings Initiative.  Read more in this press release.