First Off...

Freight cluster report. A new CMAP "drill-down" report analyzes freight, one of the Chicago region's strongest industry clusters. It identifies key challenges and opportunities regarding infrastructure, workforce, and innovation, which will influence the cluster's growth. It concludes with a set of regional strategies that build on GO TO 2040 to better align resources and investments with the freight cluster's needs. A companion technical document provides further analysis to support the summary report conclusions. Read more at our Policy Updates blog.

New GIV data. Since GO TO 2040 was adopted, CMAP and Chicago Wilderness have been refining and updating regional data from the Green Infrastructure Vision (GIV). At http://www.cmap.illinois.gov/green-infrastructure new data are now available, along with a set of GIS tools, for conservation partners in the region to help identify portions of the green infrastructure network on which they wish to concentrate their efforts. Check our Policy Updates blog for guidance on using the data, as well as information on a guide CMAP will release later this year on how the region can integrate green infrastructure protection into existing planning and decision-making processes.

REMINDER: LTA 2012 call for projects. Applications are due by August 1, 2012, for the second call for projects through the GO TO 2040 Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program. Staff resources and grants are available for community-based projects. Municipalities, counties, multijurisdictional groups, or nongovernmental organizations (in partnership with local government) are encouraged to apply for CMAP staff assistance. For more information, please contact Pete Saunders (psaunders@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8654). Applicants that would prefer to receive grant funds should consider applying for funding through CMAP's Community Planning program -- see http://rtachicago.com/community-planning/community-planning.html for more details.

MAP-21. Moments ago at our Policy Updates blog, we posted further analysis of the new federal MAP-21 transportation legislation in the context of CMAP's reauthorization principles. At www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21/ and www.fta.dot.gov/map21/, respectively, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have created web pages to track the implementation of MAP-21.

More in Policy Updates. The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy recently released a report on the use of property tax incentives for business, recommending that policymakers consider alternatives to tax incentives, such as providing job training or business support services or to implement broad tax bases with lower tax rates. CMAP is currently conducting its own study on economic development incentives, with a focus on property tax abatements and tax increment financing, as well as sales tax rebates. To learn more about property tax rates in our region, visit our issue brief Decoding Property Taxes and Classification.

Other News and Announcements

Planning award. At this past week's Transportation Research Board (TRB) Planning Committee meeting, CMAP and GO TO 2040 received the national Transportation Planning Excellence Award from FHWA and FTA, in partnership with the TRB.

LTA updates. The Village of Carpentersville's Board unanimously approved a new Old Town Area plan on Tuesday, which was developed with assistance from CMAP through our LTA program. The Daily Herald wrote about the plan last week, and the Courier-News wrote about the Village's next steps to implement the plan. Also through the LTA program, CMAP and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Chicago are working with the Village of Hanover Park on a corridor study to explore the revitalization of Irving Park Road between Astor Avenue and Wise Road. A community reception for the ULI Chicago Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) will be held August 1 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Parkwood Elementary School (2150 Laurel Avenue, Hanover Park). The final TAP report from CMAP and ULI Chicago's work with the City of Joliet for redevelopment of its correctional center is now available on-line as well. The Village of Alsip is also working with CMAP to develop a comprehensive plan. A visioning workshop for the project will be held August 1 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Alsip Village Hall (4500 W. 123rd Street). Natural Awakenings magazine also wrote about the LTA local food system activities, quoting CMAP's Jason Navota. A July update for all LTA projects is now available at www.cmap.illinois.gov/lta.

CMAP in the news. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel featured an opinion piece from Richard C. Longworth, senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, on the need for collaboration across the southeast Wisconsin, northeastern Illinois, northwest Indiana region and mentions CMAP's participation in the recent Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development territorial review for the mega-region. GRID Chicago wrote two posts on bicycle safety data from our Travel Tracker Survey. See posts one and two. In other news, the Metropolitan Planning Council recently announced that they are extending their commute options pilot program for a second year. This extension is being funded in part through CMAP’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program.

Vehicles per household. CMAP has compiled data on the number of vehicles per household from 2000-10 on our Congestion Management Process performance monitoring page. Perhaps owing to the recent recession, the long-term trend of increasing household vehicle ownership rates may have abated toward the end of the analysis period, particularly in Chicago.

Featured case study. A recycling education initiative in McHenry County grew into an award-winning educational program with environmental lessons, activities, a curriculum library, and more. If you know of an exemplary project for the GO TO 2040 case study library, please contact Lindsay Banks (312-386-8826) or submit it on-line.

IL 53 extension. Patch.com has a story on the discussion of how to fund the Central Lake County Corridor.

Illinois Jobs Now. On Tuesday, Governor Quinn signed legislation authorizing $1.6 billion for the next phase of the Illinois Jobs Now capital program. HB 4568 authorizes bonds to pay for $817.3 million in new highway projects and $799.5 million in mass transit and rail improvements, including 15 Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) projects and improvements to the Chicago Transit Authority Red, Purple, and Blue Lines.

Street lighting workshop. On August 2 and 3, the U.S. Department of Energy's Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium is hosting an LED Street Lighting Workshop in Boston. The workshop is intended for consortium members; city, government, and utility officials or staff; and designers, consultants, and energy efficiency organizations. Registration is available on-line.

EcoSummit 2012. Registration is now open for EcoSummit 2012, which will be held in Columbus, Ohio, from September 30 through October 5. The conference is billed as the first ever to link the Ecological Society of America (ESA), The International Association for Ecology (INTECOL), and the Society for Ecological Restoration International (SER), presenting a platform for dialogue among researchers, planners, and decision makers regarding the complex nature of ecological systems. Exhibition opportunities are currently available.

CMAP Blogs

Soles and Spokes. CMAP’s bicycle and pedestrian planning blog featured an article in a recent edition of the journal “Transportation,” examining the extent to which work-place culture, attitudes, provision of cyclist facilities, and other factors might influence the decision 1) to bicycle to work, and 2) how frequently one does so. We also announced the new policy-focused web page created and maintained by Active Transportation Alliance, and highlighted their publication of a Complete Streets design manual, published Complete Streets, Complete Networks: A Manual for the Design of Active Transportation.

Green Signals. Our transportation operations blog described a new FHWA brochure on the foundation for performance-based management of transportation operations programs.

Reminders

Save the Date: Soles and Spokes workshop. On August 24, CMAP will host a Soles and Spokes workshop “Designing for Bicycle Safety,” which will provide an overview of bikeway design and the new AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities. To support the event, we are seeking outstanding bicycle and pedestrian projects and plans to include in our Case Studies Library. One or more of the accepted case studies may be invited to present at the workshop. Please submit bicycle and pedestrian project case studies by July 20 to be considered for presentation, and more information on the workshop will be available in coming weeks.

Metra strategic plan. Metra is developing a new strategic plan and is seeking input. Individuals can complete a short on-line survey or attend one of many public meetings throughout the region in July.

FLIP applications. Applications are now available for our Future Leaders in Planning (FLIP) program. Through the program, high school students from throughout the region meet one Saturday per month to learn about the issues that shape our region’s economy and quality of life. Students who will be sophomores, juniors, or seniors in the 2012-13 school year are eligible. For more information, contact Ricardo Lopez (rlopez@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8766).

Events

Metropolitan Planning Council annual luncheon
July 25, 2012
Noon to 2:00 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Chicago: 151 E. Wacker Drive, Chicago
More information

Niles planning meeting
July 25, 2012
7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Niles Senior Center: 999 Civic Center Drive, Niles
Hosted by the Village of Niles and CMAP
More information

ULI Chicago TAP Community Reception
August 1, 2012
6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Parkwood Elementary School
2150 Laurel Avenue
Hanover Park, IL 60133 (Map)
More information

Round Lake Heights planning meeting
August 7, 2012
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Round Lake Middle School: 2000 Lotus Drive, Round Lake Heights
Hosted by the Village of Round Lake Heights and CMAP
More information

Designing for Bicycle Safety Soles and Spokes workshop
August 24, 2012
CMAP: 233 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago
Hosted by CMAP
More information coming soon