The City of Blue Island, a culturally rich community in south Cook County, is poised for revitalization. Located on the Calumet River just southwest of Chicago, Blue Island has historically been a transportation hub in the region, featuring diverse neighborhoods and a traditional central business district that are sources of community pride.  For more demographic information, view the Blue Island Community Data Snapshot.

With support from the CMAP Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program, the City of Blue Island has been actively planning for its future. In May 2012, the City adopted a new comprehensive plan, which outlines goals, objectives, and strategies pertaining to land use and development, economic development, housing, transportation and circulation, natural environment and water systems, and image and identity.

One of the comprehensive plan's key recommendations is to create a capital improvement plan (CIP) —the first for the City—to help guide and prioritize large-scale capital and infrastructure improvement projects over the next five years. The CIP establishes a direct link between the comprehensive plan's strategies and annual appropriations, and will help ensure that the City is programming its public dollars in a strategic manner.