CMAP Media Tip Sheet

March 23, 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.

 

Communities benefit from CMAP local technical assistance

CMAP is partnering with the first wave of local communities identified for planning assistance through the agency's new initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as part of the federal interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities.  Download a full list of projects. CMAP will begin working with 64 local governments, nonprofits, and intergovernmental organizations to address local issues at the intersection of transportation, land use, and housing, including the natural environment, economic growth, and community development. Work has already begun on several projects, including:

• Neighborhood planning for the Greater Englewood, Washington Park, and Woodlawn community areas in Chicago
• Interjurisdictional housing planning involving south and west Cook County municipalities
• The first-ever comprehensive plan for the City of Blue Island, in southwest Cook County
• A land use and infrastructure plan for the Fairmont area, a community in unincorporated Will County
• Water conservation activities in Lake Zurich, a municipality in Lake County

 

Moving Forward webspace describes GO TO 2040 implementation

To coincide with the first wave of local planning assistance projects, CMAP has re-launched the Moving Forward section of the agency's website, which will now be the main location for information related to implementing GO TO 2040. 

 

MetroPulse webinar provides access to data riches

CMAP will hold a webinar demonstrating the new MetroPulse web data system from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 25.  The simple-to-use portal gives users -- including members of the media, community organizations, and local government -- access to a wealth of information describing quality-of-life factors in the seven-county Chicago region.  Reserve a spot for the on-line session, which will train users on all aspects of the website.  Launched last November, MetroPulse was developed as part of the Regional Indicators Project, a collaboration of CMAP and The Chicago Community Trust.  Its advanced data tools facilitate local decision making and help track the region's progress in implementing GO TO 2040.  Users can also follow MetroPulse on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Metropolitan Planning Council hosts GO TO 2040 roundtables

CMAP executive director Randy Blankenhorn contributed a guest post to the Metropolitan Planning Council's blog, regarding federal and state agendas for implementing GO TO 2040.  The post relates to the next GO TO 2040 roundtable in a series hosted by MPC.  Named "We have a Plan. What Do We Need?", the event will be held on March 25 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the MPC Conference Center (140 S. Dearborn, Suite 1400 Chicago, Illinois 60603).  Audio from February's forum is available on-line.

 

Soles and Spokes blog has the lowdown on bicycle-pedestrian issues

Each week, CMAP's "Soles and Spokes" blog highlights developments in the field of "bike-ped" planning.  Most recently, a new report by the University of Massachusetts Amherst estimated the employment benefits of bicycle and pedestrian projects.  According to the study, Baltimore, MD, bike-ped projects have created more jobs per million dollars spent than road repairs and resurfacing.  The blog also reported on the new federal law called the "Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act," which seeks to ensure that new electric and hybrid vehicles add noises to alert the blind and other pedestrian of their approach.  Finally, Soles and Spokes alerted readers to the City of Chicago's release of bicycle counts taken at various locations around the City in the summer and fall of 2009.  Subscribe to the blog by RSS feed.

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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.