First Off...

CMAP Board. The Board met on Wednesday and discussed two substantive topics. First, two years ago CMAP completed its Water 2050 regional water supply plan through an inclusive process, but unfortunately the plan's implementation has been stymied by a lack of dedicated funding. Staff briefed the Board on these issues, and the Board agreed to partner with the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) to pursue strategies to restore state/regional water supply planning and management with new, sustainable funding options. Secondly, CMAP Board member and Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) senior deputy executive director Leanne Redden provided an overview of the RTA, including its governance structure and funding formulas. The Board then discussed the proposed CMAP and RTA merger and related CMAP staff memo. The Board agreed that they would like to continue to discuss the challenges facing transit in the region and explore ways to move the discussion forward at their meeting in January.

Its December meeting is cancelled, so the Board will meet next on January 9, 2013.

Congestion pricing campaign. The Reason Foundation's Surface Transportation Newsletter described our campaign to make congestion pricing a reality in the region. The Chicago Tribune ran letters about congestion pricing this week by George Ranney, president and CEO of Metropolis Strategies, and Kristi Lafleur, executive director of the Illinois Tollway. On Wednesday, I spoke with the World Business Chicago Transportation and Logistics Strategy Team about the importance of implementing congestion pricing on five projects of the Tollway and Illinois Department of Transportation, as described at www.cmap.illinois.gov/congestion-pricing. To join this effort, please contact CMAP principal planner Erin Aleman (312-386-8816 or ealeman@cmap.illinois.gov).

Policy Updates. The Federal Highway Administration/Federal Transit Administration Transportation Planning Capacity Building program has released a report describing the performance-based funding peer exchange hosted by CMAP last summer.
 

Other News and Announcements

LTA updates. Grist wrote about Chicago's plans for a "green belt" strongly focused on urban agriculture in the Englewood neighborhood, which is a component of the Green Healthy Neighborhoods land use plan under development through CMAP's Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program in partnership with the City of Chicago, LISC/Chicago, Teamwork Englewood, and the Washington Park Consortium. Learn more about sustainable local food systems at www.cmap.illinois.gov/food. For development of its LTA-supported downtown plan, the Village of Algonquin will hold a public workshop on November 28 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church and School (300 Jefferson Street, Algonquin). Two other LTA projects will host public meetings on December 4. The Village of Niles will hold an open house on its Environmental Action Plan from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Niles Public Library (6960 W. Oakton Street, Niles). The Village of Round Lake Heights will host a public meeting on its comprehensive plan from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Round Lake Heights Middle School (2000 Lotus Drive, Round Lake Heights).

Commute Options. MPC blogged about its Commute Options pilot, through which employers in the region seek better alternatives for their employees by surveying them about travel patterns and barriers to their "preferred commute." The MPC pilot is supported by Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) funds allocated to the Regional Transportation Authority.

APA conference preview. The American Planning Association (APA) featured a blog by CMAP's Trevor Dick and MPC's Peter Skosey about next April's APA National Planning Conference, which will be held in Chicago. The piece describes a booth that will feature local examples of GO TO 2040 implementation from throughout the region.

Jeffrey Jump. This week, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) launched its Jeffrey Jump express bus service, which cuts seven minutes off the 16-mile trip along Jeffrey Boulevard from 103rd Street to downtown. Read more in the Chicago Sun-Times and Grid Chicago. The CTA hopes this can help lead to eventual implementation of Bus Rapid Transit in the city.
 

CMAP Blogs

Soles and Spokes. CMAP’s bike-ped planning blog highlighted a new report by the American Public Health Association and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership on how active transportation can help reduce obesity and improve health. We also featured a National Cooperative Highway Research Program report on tools and strategies for municipalities to improve safety, convenience, and accessibility for pedestrians.
 

Reminders

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.

Events

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