NEWS RELEASE:  "Invent the Future" results indicate northeastern Illinois residents want more transit options and compact development (12-8-09)
Residents across metropolitan Chicago's seven counties tend to share consistent priorities for the region's future: more transit options, compact land development, reduced energy and water consumption, and more parks and open space. That's the message from more than 20,000 participants during the 2009 "Invent the Future" phase of public input to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), tied to the 100th anniversary of Daniel Burnham's landmark Plan of Chicago.  CMAP is combining this input with the agency's extensive strategy research to begin finalizing GO TO 2040, the official comprehensive plan that will guide development and infrastructure decisions across the region for decades to come.  Read more in a CMAP news release, fact sheet, and report summarizing feedback via interactive web tools, workshops, kiosks, and booths at community festivals.
 

VIDEO:  Illiana Expressway on Chicago Tonight (10-13-09)
As part of the Chicago Matters: Beyond Burnham series, Eddie Arruza of WTTW's Chicago Tonight interviewed CMAP executive director Randy Blankenhorn regarding the proposed Illiana Expressway. For years, since the 1909 Plan of Chicago by Daniel Burnham, a major connector has been considered to link I-57 in Illinois and I-65 in Indiana. See the video by clicking the "more" link below.
 

Creating a context for Federal reform (9-22-09)
CMAP has issued a short document, "Comprehensive Regional Planning in Metropolitan Chicago:  Helping to Create a Context for Federal Reform." It describes how planning efforts here can be magnified by U.S. government programs -- and vice versa.  The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have agreed to implement joint transportation, housing, and environmental initiatives across the nation in a new "Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities."  In that effort, USDOT, HUD, EPA, and the federal government in general will need strong regional partners like CMAP.
 

One Book, One Chicago Program (9-22-09) 
CMAP is partnering with the Chicago Public Library, which is hosting 11 community discussions on Carl Smith's book The Plan of Chicago:  Daniel Burnham and the Remaking of the American City. CMAP staff will help facilitate several of these discussion groups. These discussions will ask: What is your Chicago? How has the city been shaped by our needs these past one hundred years and how will it evolve in the next hundred? What's next? Help plan the future of Chicago with others from your community! Presented in partnership with Chicago Matters, the Great Books Foundation, and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
 

NEWS RELEASE:  Residents of northeastern Illinois strongly favor new transit investments and compact development (8-5-09)
See a CMAP news release and a set of charts summarizing public input to date from the summer-long phase of public input for the GO TO 2040 comprehensive regional plan. 
 

Developments of Regional Importance process begins (8-1-09)
CMAP has begun a two-year trial of the agency's process for evaluating Developments of Regional Importance (DRIs).  After many months of collaboration with partners and stakeholders, the DRI trial period started on August 1, 2009, and ends on July 31, 2011, at which time the CMAP Board will review the process and its effectiveness. CMAP's DRI process provides an opportunity for regional partners to comprehensively assess the regional implications of large-scale development proposals, reconcile regional priorities associated with these proposals, and coordinate independent actions in support of regional goals. Examining these impacts from the regional perspective offers an opportunity to align projects and create consistency with regional plans and programs.
 

New snapshot reports on Air Quality, Jobs and Housing, Industry Clusters (7-23-09)
Now nearing the end of its third year, CMAP's series of Regional Snapshot reports summarizes important issues that will be part of the GO TO 2040 comprehensive plan.  The latest snapshots include Air Quality, Jobs-Housing Balance, and Industry Clusters. 

These reports depict where the region stands in measurable terms, regarding fundamental issues that will shape our communities in years to come.  Each snapshot is a short encapsulation of selected trends and data points that shed light on issues that have been identified as priorities for the region.
 

VIDEO:  Regional Water Supply Planning on Chicago Tonight (7-7-09)
CMAP's Regional Water Supply Planning Group was featured on WTTW's Chicago Tonight as part of the Chicago Matters: Beyond Burnham news series. To watch, click here or on the "more" link below for embedded video.
 

Community design and scenario evaluation (7-1-09)
Ever wonder how your community might look decades from now? CMAP has partnered with local officials, residents, and design firms to visualize how certain alternative scenarios could shape more than a dozen municipalities across the region. You can add your own comments about our Reinvest, Preserve, and Innovate alternatives in the Scenario Evaluation web pages.
 

UPDATE: The Comprehensive Regional Planning Fund (6-1-09)
Today has brought some discouraging news regarding the State of Illinois budget, as yesterday's midnight deadline passed without action by the House to close the projected budget deficit. One result is that the Comprehensive Regional Planning Fund (CRPF) is apparently not included in the current budget.   (Click on the "more" link for additional information.)
 

VIDEO:  UIC address by CMAP's Randy Blankenhorn (5-5-09)
On May 5, 2009, CMAP executive director Randy Blankenhorn gave a commencement address for the University of Illinois at Chicago's College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs. Click on the "more" link below for the embedded video, and click here to read the text of his remarks.  This was a chance for Randy to speak from the heart to graduating students as they embark on their careers. He talked to them about the opportunities and responsibilities of serving the public. These times require them to think and act boldly, and putting off the tough choices for another generation is not a viable option. As Randy told them, this does not have to be their misfortune. Instead, it can be their opportunity for greatness.
 

Future Leaders in Planning (FLIP) present their ideas for improving the region (4-23-09) 
On Thursday, April 23, 2009, high school students completing a regional leadership development program presented their ideas for how to plan for improved quality of life in the seven counties of northeastern Illinois.

Selected from schools across the region, the Future Leaders in Planning (FLIP) students participated in the program that was created by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). They made presentations to members of the CMAP Board, in addition to other leaders and decision makers. Each student addressed important regional issues such as economic development, environment and natural resources, housing, human services, and transportation.  The 38 students have learned about comprehensive planning issues, having committed 45 hours to the FLIP program that includes monthly meetings and workshops throughout the 2008-09 school year. See /flip-future-leaders-in-planning for more about the program.


BLOG:  Regional Response to the Recovery Act (3-27-09)
At www.cmap.illinois.gov/recovery/, CMAP maintains a blog about the regional response to the ARRA.  CMAP's goal is to work with its partners and add value by:

• Cataloging infrastructure-related resources pertaining to the ARRA
• Identifying best practices from across the U.S. pertaining to the ARRA
• Promoting the use of consistent criteria to evaluate, select, and report on ARRA-funded projects
• Making the region's ARRA processes publicly transparent and accountable 
  
   

VIDEO:  Latinos in Our Region snapshot report (3-5-09)
One of the most significant demographic changes expected in our region by 2040 is the rapidly increasing Latino population in northeastern Illinois. "Latinos in Our Region" is part of CMAP's Regional Snapshot series. Continuing a long-term trend, Latinos are expected to make up most of the region's population growth between now and 2040. This snapshot report shows the nature of the increasing Latino population throughout the region and identifies major planning considerations. In March 2009, CAN-TV public television aired a pair of segments about the report in English and Spanish.  Click on the "more" link below for the embedded videos. 

DRI comment period (2/20/09)
A second version of the proposed Developments of Regional Importance (DRI) process was released for a 45-day comment period ending April 6, 2009. The Programming Coordinating Committee has substantially revised the DRI process from its original public release last fall. For more information, contact Tara Fifer (tfifer@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8758).