CMAP Media Tip Sheet

March 15, 2012

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.
 

International group's report highlights need for regions in tri-state area to collaborate for economic competitiveness

Economic growth and productivity have slowed in the Gary-Chicago-Milwaukee corridor for most of this century, and action must be taken to ensure the tri-state region is globally competitive according to a new report. The Paris-based, international Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released an in-depth study of the "mega-region" that includes northeast Illinois, northwest Indiana, and southeast Wisconsin.  The report is part of OECD's series titled Territorial Reviews: Competitive Cities in the Global Economy, which uses a standard methodology to explore how globalization is shaping economic development in regions across the world.  CMAP was among organizations throughout the tri-state region that participated in the report's development.  GO TO 2040 was an influential starting point for the team's research and policy recommendations, and CMAP provided a large amount of data, policy guidance, and other input for the report.  CMAP has begun a series of posts about this report on the Policy Updates blog.  

 

New interactive web space spotlights GO TO 2040 implementation highlights

An interactive web page at www.cmap.illinois.gov/moving-forward/2010-11 summarizes Moving Forward: 2010-11, the first annual GO TO 2040 implementation report.  Eight projects are showcased from among the dozens highlighted in the full report, including CMAP's Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program and the Illinois Tollway capital plan. In conjunction with the report, a printed poster-brochure is also available via email to info@cmap.illinois.gov.

CMAP's Policy Updates blog has latest details on federal transportation reauthorization

The current extension of federal transportation programs expires on March 31, and the future of billions of dollars in transportation funding for Illinois is now being decided by the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.  CMAP's Policy Update blog has the latest news on the Senate's Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century (MAP-21) bill, which has superseded the House's American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act (AEIJA).  By a vote of 74 to 22 on March 14, the Senate passed MAP-21, which will now move to the House of Representatives.  See CMAP's two-part analysis of the bill and its potential impacts for metropolitan Chicago (parts one and two). 

 

Vision for proposed regional trail system moves closer to reality

CMAP has compiled 2012 estimates showing implementation of more than 1,075 miles of 2,700 miles of regional trails envisioned in the Northeastern Illinois Regional Greenways and Trails Plan.  Including projects initiated through March 2012, approximately 40 percent of the proposed trail system is complete, up by about three percent from when the plan was last updated in 2009. A chart showing 2009 and 2012 implementation by county is included on MetroPulse. CMAP coordinates planning for trails and greenways in the region. The officially adopted Northeastern Illinois Greenways and Trails Plan is a long-range, multi-jurisdictional plan that envisions a network of trails and greenways across northeastern Illinois.

 

New energy calculator to help commercial building owners save money and energy

Commercial building owners can use EnCompass, the newest tool from Energy Impact Illinois (EI2), to discover ways to save money and energy.  Owners can use the energy calculator to find energy inefficiencies in buildings, compare energy usage against benchmarks such as ENERGY STAR^®, and find suggestions of ways to lower energy use.  EI2 is a CMAP-led alliance of agencies, utility companies, and citizen advocacy groups.
 

Public-private partnerships show potential for promise, pitfalls

A four-part series on the CMAP Policy Updates blog examines public-private partnerships (PPPs) as an option for funding transportation infrastructure.  The final post looks at PPPs in the context of a handful of major capital projects established as high priorities by the GO TO 2040 comprehensive regional plan, which recommends that innovative financing mechanisms should be considered for funding transportation. The third entry discusses how PPPs relate to the unique economic and policy issues of financing transit projects. The second focused on the role of PPPs in the ongoing federal transportation reauthorization process, and the series began with an overview of the topic.  

 

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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.