CN and EJ&E meeting dates. Please note that some erroneous dates were published in the STB's draft EIS. (The public meeting dates for Aurora, Illinois, and Gary, Indiana, had been switched.) The Aurora meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 9, 2008, at West Aurora High School, 1201 W. New York St., Aurora, IL, 60506. The Gary meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at Indiana University Northwest Auditorium, 3400 Broadway, Gary, IN, 46408. Click here for details, including other meeting dates and locations.

Chicago Humanities Festival panel. From 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 8, 2008, I will be part of a panel we're organizing for the Chicago Humanities Festival. Titled "The GO TO 2040 Plan: Bold Innovations for a Better Chicago," it will focus especially on the role of commuter rail and potential regional high-speed rail service. Other panelists include Rick Harnish (executive director, the Midwest High Speed Rail Association), Howard Learner (president and executive director, the Environmental Law & Policy Center), and Andy Plummer (transportation historian). Moderated by CMAP Board member Al Larson, Mayor of Schaumburg, the panel will explore some of the big regional issues and discuss -- in the tradition of Daniel Burnham -- how growth patterns and prosperity can be influenced through better planning in general and the GO TO 2040 campaign in particular. Location is the Chicago History Museum 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614. Click here for a map and directions.

More on high speed rail. The same day and location as our panel, the Chicago Humanities Festival will open an exhibit on high speed rail. For more information, call the festival at 312-642-4600 or see the complete festival program (6.2MB PDF). USA TODAY this week had an op-ed piece about HSR, specifically the California initiative now under consideration to connect Los Angeles and the Bay Area. The cost of $10 billion is daunting, but HSR advocates have new momentum partly due to rising fuel costs and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Community Conversations. As part of our GO TO 2040 outreach, CMAP is hosting a number of public meetings -- which we call "Community Conversations" -- across the region for residents to talk about what they'd like to preserve or change about their communities by 2040. See the current list for one in your neighborhood, and we're adding more every week. Anyone can request a Community Conversation by completing a simple on-line form.

Spanish regional vision. We now have available printed copies of the Regional Vision for 2040 in Spanish. If you or an organization needs some, please contact Diana Torres (312-386-8774 or dtorres@cmap.illinois.gov).

Seminar on Integrating Conservation in our Communities. On Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, Illinois, The Conservation Foundation (TCF), with support from several organizations including CMAP, is presenting a full-day seminar “Beyond the Basics: Integrating Conservation in our Communities -- Addressing Top Challenges in Applying Conservation Design in New Development.” Specifically designed for elected officials, plan commissioners, public works staff, engineers, developers, and real estate professionals, this seminar will provide the tools and resources needed to integrate conservation design principles and stormwater best management practices into our communities. Registration is $55 through September 3, after which a $10 late fee will be added -- and we’ve heard that seats are filling quickly. For more details and to register, call Carrie Thompson at TCF (630-428-4500, ext. 10) or visit www.theconservationfoundation.org.

TIP comment period. CMAP is requesting public comments for the Federal Fiscal Year 2007-2012 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) amendments, Regional Transportation Plan Update and update to the Conformity Analysis. To view the projects being amended, please click here. To view the emissions information, please click here. The comment period will end on September 21, 2008. To submit comments in writing please mail to: CMAP, ATTN: TIP Amendments, Sears Tower, 233 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, Illinois 60657. To e-mail, please include "TIP Amendments" in the subject line to TIP@cmap.illinois.gov.

Burnham at the Art Institute. From September 6, 2008 to December 14, 2009, the Art Institute of Chicago will host an exhibition of 32 illustrations from Daniel Burnham's 1909 Plan of Chicago. Billed as a preview of next year's centennial, the exhibit will feature five separate rotations of these landmark documents, which are seldom on display due to their fragility. At noon on September 12 in Gallery 100, there will be an Exhibition Overview. Click here for details of the event.

Prairie Fest. On Saturday, October 4, the fifth annual Prairie Fest will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Elgin. The all-day event will have speakers, workshops, information booths, children's activities, and food. Its theme is "Greening the City," to educate and inspire people so they'll work toward preservation, restoration, and sustainable living. There will be exhibits, workshops, a labyrinth, prairie tours, kids' global changes program, and "movies that matter." Our own Jesse Elam will be presenting about CMAP and our GO TO 2040 planning campaign. He'll participate in a panel moderated by Elgin City Council Member Dave Kaptain, with panelists including Elgin Mayor Ed Schock, City Planner Tom Armstrong, and Green Architect Keelan Kaiser. Other topics include Prairie Gardening, Eco Friendly Yards, Energy Efficiency, Environmental Legislation, Alternative Transportation, Eating Greener, and more.

Survey participants needed. The Urban Transportation Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is conducting a research study on the travel and public transportation use patterns of Chicago commuters. They will pay $15 for residents who participate in a one-hour workshop/interview conducted at UIC. Interested commuters may contact Lei Tang (ltang4@uic.edu).

Current work plan. CMAP's FY09 work plan is now posted on our website under the "about" menu section and at http://www.cmap.illinois.gov/budget-and-work-plan.