First Off...

LTA updates.  Comprehensive plans developed through our Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program for the City of Berwyn and Village of Norridge were approved  unanimously by their City Council and Village Board, respectively.  CMAP commits to working with LTA-supported communities for two years following their plans' adoption to assist with implementation, and we will be helping both communities revise their zoning ordinances to better-reflect the new plans.  Read more about the adoption of Berwyn's plan, as well as our plans to help Cicero update its comprehensive plan for the first time since the mid-1970s, in Cicero Life.  Two other new LTA projects were also featured in the news.  The Northwest Herald described CMAP's upcoming work to assist with implementation of the Silver Creek and Sleepy Hollow Creek watershed plan, and the Daily Herald covered our future collaboration with the Village of Hoffman Estates to create an education and workforce development plan for the I-90 Golden Corridor.

Policy Updates.  We described the proposed $5 million Unincorporated Cook Infrastructure Improvement Fund to encourage the annexation of neighboring unincorporated parcels by Cook County municipalities.  We also covered two recently released reports that address federal transportation funding.  The entry was reposted on the Sustainable Cities Collective blog.

Other News and Announcements

LTA meetings.  The City of Chicago with LISC/Chicago, Teamwork Englewood, and Washington Park Consortium will host a public meeting for development of the Green Healthy Neighborhoods Land Use Plan at Coppin Memorial A.M.E. Church (5627 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago) on November 10 from 9:00 to 11:45 a.m.  CMAP is also working with the Village of Lakemoor to update its comprehensive plan.  An open house will be held for residents to review draft plan recommendations on November 13 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Lakemoor's Police Station Community Room (27901 Concrete Drive).  Both projects are part of CMAP's LTA program. 

I-55 managed lane meeting.  The Illinois Department of Transportation will host an open house for its proposed I-55 Managed Lane Project on November 1, 2012, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Countryside Conference Center (6201 Joliet Road, Countryside).  CMAP recommends implementing congestion pricing on new I-55 lanes and estimates that the addition of an express toll lane between I-355 and the Dan Ryan would yield travel time savings of 25 minutes.  Learn more at www.cmap.illinois.gov/congestion-pricing.  With help from our partners, CMAP is reaching out to Governor Quinn, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), and the Illinois Tollway to emphasize the need to implement congestion pricing for five GO TO 2040 expressway projects. To be part of that effort, please contact CMAP principal planner Erin Aleman (312-386-8816 or ealeman@cmap.illinois.gov).  

Blackberry Creek meeting.  CMAP and The Conservation Foundation will lead a meeting of the Blackberry Creek Watershed Coalition to discuss efforts underway to protect water quality in communities surrounding the Fox River on October 30 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Blackberry Township office (43W390 Main Street Road, Elburn). 

Great Cities seminars.  The Great Cities Institute (GCI) of the University of Illinois at Chicago will host "Walkable, Affordable, and Preferable:  Nuancing the Sustainable Neighborhood" as part of its Comparative Urbanisms Seminar Series on November 8 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. at 412 S. Peoria (4th floor) in Chicago.  

Economic development summit.  Moraine Valley Community College will host a Southwest Suburban Summit on Economic Development: Partnering for Economic Strength on November 15 from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. for members of the Southwest Council of Mayors. Both CMAP Board Chairman Mayor Gerald Bennett of Palos Hills and I will speak at the event.  

Chicago public hearings.  The City of Chicago is holding a series of public hearings on its proposed Electricity Aggregation Program. 

Grant management class.  Grant Writing USA and the Cook County Sheriff's Police Training Academy will host a class on how to best-manage grants on December 6-7 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Cook County Sheriff's Police Headquarters (1401 S. Maybrook Drive, Room 151, Maywood).

CMAP Blogs

Soles and Spokes.  CMAP’s bike-ped planning blog highlighted a complete streets project underway in Tinley Park.  We also announced the upcoming Chicago Department of Transportation public meetings on the City's new bike share program, which is partially funded through CMAP's Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program.
 

Reminders

Upcoming Soles and Spokes workshop.  There is only one spot left for next weeks' Soles and Spokes workshop, “Designing Pedestrian Facilities for Accessibility.”  The 1 .5-day workshop takes place Thursday and Friday November 1-2, 2012.  Participants will learn how to apply guidelines and policies developed under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act to pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way. 

EI2 rebates.  Energy Impact Illinois (EI2) is offering rebates up to $1750 (an estimated 70-percent cost savings) for upgrades you can make to improve the comfort of your home.  For more information, contact Emily Plagman at eplagman@cmap.illinois.gov.  To see if you qualify for the rebate, please call 1-855-9-IMPACT.

Metra strategic plan.  For the development of its new strategic plan, Metra is hosting a new round of open house meetings to solicit public feedback from November 1-12. 

ArcView workshops.  CMAP periodically offers a Two-Day Basic ArcView 10 Workshop, and dates are set for November 28 to 29 and January 9 to 10. Attendance at each workshop is limited to five people, so register early.  The cost is $350. To register, please contact Jan Drennan (jdrennan@cmap.illinois.gov).

Public Participation Plan.  CMAP staff, in collaboration with the agency's Citizens' Advisory Committee and the Regional Transportation Authority, drafted a 2012 Public Participation Plan, which is now available for public comment through November 9, 2012.  This is an update to CMAP's 2007 plan.  Send comments to Erin Aleman (ealeman@cmap.illinois.gov).

Events

Soles and Spokes workshop: Designing Pedestrian Facilities for Accessibility
November 1-2, 2012
CMAP: 233 S Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago
Hosted by CMAP
More information

UIC Urban Forum
December 6, 2012
UIC Forum: 725 W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago
Hosted by the University of Illinois at Chicago
More information