Randy Blankenhorn

EJ&E on WBEZ. As you may have heard, I was on WBEZ's Eight Forty-Eight show this week discussing CN's proposed acquisition of the EJ&E rail line. WBEZ reporter Gabriel Spitzer and I gave an overview of this complex topic. If you listen on-line, our segment starts at the 11:30 mark. Gabriel's interest was related to the UIC panel in which I participated on Wednesday.

Crain's column on CMAP.  In his mid-week column, Greg Hinz of Crain's Chicago Business took a somewhat playful look at CMAP's ambitious goals for the GO TO 2040 campaign. But kidding aside, he does a good job of pointing out some dynamics that previously got in the way of effective planning. He concludes on a positive note -- "Let's just say that CMAP and its 2040 plan are an experiment worth watching" -- which may be significant from a columnist who never hesitates to point out the shortcomings of public agencies.

Regional map gets national honor. As part of its Map Design Competition, the Cartography and Geographic Information Society has chosen CMAP's regional map for its honorable mention award. Our map -- produced in partnership with cartographer Lenny Walther of Northern Illinois University --was in competition with the best maps produced nationwide in 2007.  Congratulations to CMAP's David Clark, who led this project. The map is available to municipalities free of charge.  If demand is sufficient, CMAP may print additional copies that would be available to other groups for a fee. A printable version of the map (3.5MB PDF) is available for download.

Mass transit forum. On Tuesday, March 4, 2008, the Union League Club of Chicago's "Breakfast @ 65West" series will feature "Capitalizing on Mass Transit -- What's Ahead for the RTA and Its Service Boards." Speaking will be RTA chairman Jim Reilly and RTA executive director Steve Schlickman. "Now that the Illinois General Assembly has addressed operating funding for regional mass transit, advocates are turning their attention to passage of a capital bill and funding for sorely-needed transportation infrastructure," the program states. "At the same time, the RTA and its three service boards (CTA, Metra, and Pace) are implementing the structural reforms contained in the mass transit funding bill and preparing to provide the free transit service for seniors that was established by that legislation." These breakfast meetings feature opinion leaders and policy experts from around Chicago and the country addressing a broad range of issues in a lively format. They begin with a buffet breakfast at 7:30 a.m., followed by the program at 8:00 and adjournment no later than 9:30. Cost is $20, payable at the door by cash, credit card, or check made out to "Union League Club of Chicago." See http://www.65west.org/ for more information.

Regional Water Supply Planning Group. The group had a marathon meeting this week, but covered a lot of important topics including the regional water demand scenarios report and water-use conservation measures. For more information and the presentations, please see the RWSPG web pages.

NPR series on land use. A major new series examining on-the-ground impacts of land policy began airingthis week on National Public Radio's afternoon news program All Things Considered.  The series, called Shifting Ground, was produced by David Baron, an award-winning author and journalist who has worked in public radio for more than 20 years, previously as science and environment correspondent for NPR, and science editor for the Public Radio International-BBC program "The World."  Supported by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, the reports will air as an occasional series in the weeks and months ahead. They will be archived on the website www.shifting-ground.com.