Weekly Update, 11/21/08

Randy Blankenhorn

Green lanes. The Chicago Tribune had a front-page feature and editorial about the Governor's proposal to introduce managed lanes on parts of the Illinois Tollway. Yesterday, the Tollway board voted to approve the proposal. Here is a letter of support that I sent on behalf of CMAP. You may recall that, early this year, CMAP took a bit of heat in the press for contributing to a proposal for federal support of managed-lane initiatives. My strong feeling at that time was that it's healthy to have a public debate about innovative options like this. So it's nice to see the support being expressed for this latest project, and CMAP looks forward to working with the Tollway on its implementation.

STB hearing. On Tuesday, November 18, the Surface Transportation Board held a hearing in Washington on the Canadian National (CN) railway's proposed acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet, and Eastern (EJ&E) railway. Archived video of the hearing is available. Here is some of the related press coverage:

• Daily Herald: "Planners hint at how they'll vote on CN merger brouhaha"
• Chicago Tribune: "Canadian National may be asked to pay bigger share of construction costs to seal rail deal"
• Southtown Star: "EJ&E plan raises doubts among Surface Transportation Board"

New at the GO TO 2040 blog. CMAP's Lindsay Banks writes about a name change for the Chicago Bicycle Federation (now the Active Transportation Alliance), and our Kristin Heery recaps the recent GO TO 2040 session at the Chicago Humanities Festival.

WYHS award. On Tuesday, Catherine Holland-Hatcher, Andrew Williams-Clark, and I accepted an award from Whitney Young High School for CMAP's mentoring WYHS student interns. Click here for a photo that shows (front row, left to right) CMAP 2007 intern Orlando Gomez, myself, Cathy, 2008 intern Monica Ziarko, 2008 intern Eduardo Herrera, WYHS business education teacher Susan Heaney, (back row, left to right) Drew, 2008 intern Cassandra Mikrut, and WYHS principal Dr. Joyce Kenner.

New GO TO 2040 strategy paper. Why is the location of a school so important? Read and comment on our latest strategy paper, about School Siting. 

Community Conversations. This week, the Pioneer Press featured one of two CMAP Community Conversations held last Monday in Elmhurst. Please see http://www.goto2040.org/conversations.aspx for an updated list of Community Conversations. The next one will take place at Northeastern Illinois University, Main Campus (5500 N. St. Louis Ave., Chicago) on Tuesday, November 25, 2008,from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. (Contact Ylda Pineyro at 312-386-8670 or ypineyro@cmap.illinois.gov).

CMAP on the radio. Listen to a radio segment about CMAP and GO TO 2040 with Tom Garritano that was aired last Monday, November 17, by station WDCB 90.9 FM.

Soles and Spokes Workshop registration. You may now register on-line at the American Society of Civil Engineers Illinois Section's website for our December 11 workshop titled "The Nuts and Bolts of Implementing a Local Bikeway Plan." The event runs from 8:30 a.m. to noon at CMAP's offices, Suite 800, Sears Tower, 233 South Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60606. For more information, contact John O'Neal (312-386-8822 or joneal@cmap.illinois.gov).

DRI public comments. We have been discussing the pending Developments of Regional Importance (DRI) process draft with stakeholder groups across the region. As a reminder, public comments will be accepted through December 1, 2008, on the draft DRI process document (420KB PDF). For more information, contact Tara Fifer (tfifer@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8758). Please send comments via email or postal mail to Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Attention: DRI Public Comments, 233 South Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606.

SPECIAL REMINDER: Don't forget to join CMAP's GO TO 2040 Partners Program! Please complete our simple partnership form. We'll send you a Partnership Kit with materials and a DVD to help you and your organization get involved in the region's first truly comprehensive plan. See our growing list of partners who have made the commitment to planning for a better future.