Approved in June 2008 by the Board of CMAP, the vision describes how our region should look in 2040. The vision describes our desired future environ­ment, economy, social systems, and governance structures, and it will guide the recommendations of the plan. From fall 2007 through spring 2008, residents helped to write the vision through surveys and public meetings. Read more about the Regional Vision.

CMAP is producing a series of Regional Snapshot reports on complex planning topics that need to be addressed in the GO TO 2040 plan, such as sustainability, jobs-hous­ing balance, and infill redevelopment. These reports help gauge the region’s current status on these issues, with recommenda­tions about how they might be addressed in the plan.

Read and comment on dozens of interactive Strategy Papers, the result of rigorous research by CMAP and its partners to define how the Regional Vision should be implemented.  Strategies are selected on the basis of whether they are effective at meeting specific regional goals.

To be presented for CMAP Board approval in January 2010, the draft preferred Regional Scenario describes key policy directions that the GO TO 2040 plan will address.  The scenario is based on residents’ feedback (including the extensive “Invent the Future” phase of public input that coincided with the 2009 Burnham Plan centennial celebration) and on quantitative analysis of how various policies will on traffic, public health, the environment, the economy, and many other “regional indicators.”  The preferred scenario combines strategies that were evaluated in mid-2009 via several alternative future scenarios.

From fall 2009 to spring 2010, major capital projects are being considered for inclusion in the plan based on requirements of the Regional Vision and the preferred Regional Scenario. These will include large transportation projects such as rail extensions or highway expansions.

The final step will be to communicate the plan’s recommendations to CMAP’s plan­ning partners and the public in October 2010, launching implementation of the GO TO 2040 comprehensive regional plan. Metropolitan Chicago’s future prosperity will depend on how successfully the region implements GO TO 2040 policies, strategies, and investments in land use, transportation, economic development, environment, housing, and human services. The draft plan will be issued for public com­ment in spring 2010. Visit the Idea Zone for all the latest about the GO TO 2040 Plan.