Randy Blankenhorn

Recovery updates. I hope you are benefitting from our new web pages, Regional Response to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, and the related email updates.  Late yesterday, the U.S. House and Senate conference report was posted.  See AMPO for a summary of the USDOT appropriations.  Click here for the list of $693 million in "shovel ready" stimulus projects posted today by IDOT for letting in April. They also issued a draft Statewide Transportation Improvement Program addendum pertaining to non-MPO areas. The Chicago Tribune is reporting that IDOT Secretary Milton Sees advised the General Assembly that Illinois could lose half of the stimulus funding for roads and bridges if the State doesn't provide initial funding to get the projects started.

Olympic bid book. Chicago 2016 submitted their bid book, which describes Chicago's Olympic plans.

New DRI draft.  At its February 11 meeting, the Programming Coordinating Committee reviewed a new draft DRI Process for CMAP.  The new draft  DRI Process is substantially different than that released for public comment last fall.  The Committee directed staff to release the new draft (including some minor corrections and modifications) for a 45 day public comment period.  The new public comment draft will be posted next week.

Planning magazine.  The American Planning Association's national magazine has an article about CN's purchase of the EJ&E.  

CMAP census webinar.  "Money, People and Houses:  Getting the Best Information for the Best Price" is a free one-hour webinar we are offering twice, on Wednesday, February 25, 2009, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. and Friday, February 27, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.  Budgets, bonds, grants, new businesses, vibrant communities:  What do these things have in common? Census data. Census data are now available for many municipalities each and every year. With an internet connection and only 8 clicks of a mouse, you can access economic, social, housing or demographic profiles.  Our webinar will help you how to get the most current census data.  It's accessible at your office from your own computer and phone.  For more questions or information, send your email address to Jon Hallas (jhallas@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8764).

GO TO 2040 Community Conversations.  Click here for an updated list of Community Conversations that CMAP has scheduled for residents to discuss the GO TO 2040 campaign. Next week, we will host two meetings at the Indian Prairie Library (401 Plainfield Road, Darien) on Tuesday, February 17 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. and again from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. (Please contact Diana Torres for more information at 312-386-8774 or dtorres@cmap.illinois.gov).

GO TO 2040 blog entries.  CMAP's Shana Alford wrote about 2-1-1 services that connect residents with information and referrals about human services within their communities or regions. Anne Holub told readers about the Regional Response web pages.

Sustainable Schools event.  The State of Illinois Green Governments Coordinating Council presents its 2009 Sustainable Schools Symposium on Friday, February 27, 2009.  CMAP's Russell Pietrowiak will participate as a panelist, while also presenting on our School Siting GO TO 2040 strategy report.

Moving Forward Together. On Monday, February 9, 105 people attended CMAP's "Moving Forward Together" workshop.  The event was designed to promote the awareness of the GO TO 2040 plan, encourage and ensure more involvement form minority communities and guarantee that the plan is relevant to their needs. It featured a number of presentations by CMAP staff on the planning process, vision, regional indicators and the development of strategies. Attendees were given an opportunity to discuss strategies that would be of direct benefit for their individual communities.  Attendees also had an opportunity to learn about scenario visualization using the dynamic Metro quest tool. The event concluded with a presentation from Ladonna Redmond, President of The Institute for Community Resource Development, who focused on sustainability and encouraged attendees to get more involved in regional planning focusing on sustainability issues and the global climate crisis all in an effort to promote healthy eating through a variety of programmatic, policy, and regulatory systems. This process could be adapted to encourage more involvement in regional planning. For more information about her programs and experience, please click here.

Green development practices.  U.S. EPA Region 5, the Delta Institute and the Northeast-Midwest Institute have been working over the last year and a half with a broad range of partners to identify market-based approaches to increase the adoption of green development practices.  The final report of this effort, "Market Barriers to Green Development," has just been released at http://www.delta-institute.org/marketbarriers and http://www.nemw.org/brownfields.htm#Reports.  It describes six principles (with case studies) for removing market barriers to green development, and recommends action projects and next steps to address these barriers and further promote green development practices.  For more information, contact Chris Choi (312-353-5006) or Jim Van der Kloot (312-353-3161).

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.