CMAP Media Tip Sheet

November 15, 2011

This tip sheet briefly summarizes newsworthy activities of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). Reporters should contact Justine Reisinger (312-386-8802 and jreisinger@cmap.illinois.gov) or Tom Garritano (312-386-8609 and tgarritano@cmap.illinois.gov) for more information.

 

MyHome EQ website provides valuable energy efficiency resources

The public-private Energy Impact Illinois alliance (EI2) has launched a personalized energy calculator and financial resources for Chicago area homeowners to help them make energy efficient improvements to their homes.  Located at TheEnergyBills.org, the free tools teach homeowners about their current energy usage, provide information on how to make smart energy investments, and connect them with resources such as funding and certified contractors.  The "MyHome EQ" energy calculator uses up-to-date information on home energy usage -- based on actual data from the county assessors' offices and utility bills -- to develop an individual energy performance score. CMAP leads EI2, a partnership of local and federal organizations, utility companies, and not-for-profit groups that is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.

 

Policy Updates blog series describes modern boulevards

The planned Central Lake County Corridor, which will extend Illinois Route 53 north and construct a bypass of IL 120,  is one of only five new major capital projects included in GO TO 2040.  The project, which will ease congestion and improve access and mobility in the county and region as a whole, can be designed as a "modern boulevard" with a smaller footprint to minimize potential negative impacts while protecting the natural environment and preserving the character of nearby communities.  CMAP's Policy Updates blog featured a two-part series to visualize modern boulevards.  The first installment illustrates the boulevard concept by surveying historic parkways across the U.S.  The second installment looks at contemporary examples of context-sensitive parkways, many of which showcase the reconstruction and redevelopment of existing transportation facilities.  Newer projects utilize the boulevard concept in order to support multimodal travel, improve safety, and promote strong aesthetics.  CMAP executive director Randy Blankenhorn is a member of the Illinois Tollway's Route 53 Blue Ribbon Council that is working to develop a consensus on design and planning options for the corridor.

 

McHenry County, Elburn, and New Lenox receive grants for local planning efforts

The CMAP Board recently approved$260,000 in local planning grants for project sponsors in McHenry County, the Village of Elburn, and the Village of New Lenox. The efforts will include a plan for McHenry County's unincorporated areas, a comprehensive plan for Elburn, and U.S. 30 Corridor plan implementation assistance for the Village of New Lenox. The grants are funded through CMAP's Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program, which provides staff and financial assistance for local governments, nonprofits, and other organizations to help implement the GO TO 2040 comprehensive regional plan.

 

Explore transportation projects with new interactive map

CMAP's website now features an interactive mapfor the Transportation Improvement Program(TIP), which is the region's short-term transportation agenda. The tool lets users compare and contrast data on surface transportation projects by creating, customizing, and exporting lists and charts. Projects are included in TIP database, which contains all of the details about projects programmed in the TIP, and can be searched by the public.  Programming and implementing agencies use this database to manage project implementation.  The current five-year TIP covers federal fiscal years 2010-15 and is part of the long-range regional transportation plan contained within the GO TO 2040comprehensive regional plan.

 

Just 62 percent of surveyed municipalities adopted a comprehensive plan in past decade

To better understand the state of local planning in our region, organizers of the MetroPulse data site surveyed 211 responding municipalities in the seven counties of northeastern Illinois in 2010.  Among the findings:

 

•  Only 62 percent of responding municipalities have adopted a comprehensive plan in the last 10 years.
   
• Less than half of municipalities with a comprehensive plan communicated with neighboring municipalities during the planning process.
   
• Eighty-five percent of municipalities included a public participation component during their comprehensive planning process.
   
• Only 27 percent of responding municipalities reported active involvement in affordable housing development.
   
• Thirty-nine percent of responding municipalities reported participating in at least one clear air program.

 

CMAP's Policy Updates blog has many more details about the survey, which was conducted to get a baseline assessment of local planning in the CMAP region.

 

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About CMAP

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is the comprehensive regional planning organization for the northeastern Illinois counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will. By state and federal law, CMAP is responsible for producing the region's official, integrated plan for land use and transportation. The agency's innovative GO TO 2040 planning campaign develops and implements strategies to shape the region's transportation system and development patterns, while also addressing the natural environment, economic development, housing, education, human services, and other factors shaping quality of life. See www.cmap.illinois.gov for more information.