| | Challenges to Thinking Regionallyby Erin Aleman and Lindsay Banks
2/20/09 At CMAP, advocating for the seven-county region of northeastern Illinois can be challenging. One thing that we are learning is that not everyone thinks about challenges and opportunities in terms of a “region.” A recent publication from ActionMedia.org examines the values, perceptions, and associations that voters “apply to the relationships between different parts of metropolitan regions and to the region as a whole.” Their focus groups in various cities included a broad mix of engaged citizens from different backgrounds, with different political views, different income levels, and different locations around the metro areas (i.e. rural, suburban, city).  The report found that most people tend to view their village or neighborhood as their “community.” They generally don’t think about public policy in a regional way, and a major conclusion is that regional agencies should be advocating for change that makes things better in communities. The general public seems to find it difficult to think about development from a regional perspective, except when it comes to two issues: water and transportation. Is it our challenge to explain the complexity of the regional nature of all planning issues? Or do we frame the issues around their effect on individual communities? Every day we strive to relate to the public while talking about regional planning. GO TO 2040 is our campaign for a better region. It is a massive project that will integrate not only land use and transportation, but will also include issues that aren’t traditionally represented in planning documents. The combination of these issue areas has led us to a partnership with The Chicago Community Trust, an agency with a history of expertise in territories unchartered by CMAP. Some of these areas are education, human relations, arts and culture, food policy, and safety. To most people, things like housing, food and safety seem like very local issues. At CMAP Community Conversations people have asked why their schools aren’t better, why aging parents can’t find affordable places to live near their adult children, why there aren’t jobs close to where they live. CMAP planners are looking at strategies to solve these very local issues. We are also exploring how the impacts could multiply if many communities choose to implement these strategies. For instance, the School Siting Report findings explore the health benefits of the locations of schools. One of which states that approximately “25% of commuting trips during the morning rush hour are school related. Reducing the amount of auto and bus trips by increasing the number of walking and bicycling trips would improve air quality near schools.” Locating schools closer to communities where we live, and improving access would increase air quality and it might also remove some vehicles from the road and reduce congestion. This spring we will wrap up our series of Community Conversations and start to ask communities to talk about the choices we need to make today that will create a better 2040 for everyone. This summer, as we reach out to the public for feedback on our regional scenarios it is all about making choices, and choosing the 2040 that you would like to see. To be the first to know about when and where these workshops will be, send an email to info@cmap.illinois.gov.  permalink Do you Twitter? Follow Us! |
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| | FLIP and the O'Hare Modernization Projectby Diana Torres
2/18/09 TheFuture Leaders in Planning (FLIP) youth leadership development program recently visited the O'Hare Modernization Project (OMP). FLIP participants have been exposed to issues of transportation, land use, environment and natural resources, housing, economic development and human services. During our time at OMP, we were able to learn about the history of the project and intended future of the initiative. In addition, we were granted access to a bus tour of the neighboring community as well as within the modernization project limits—a special treat for the FLIP students. For this opportunity, CMAP would like to thank the OMP staff.
All of the students who attended the visit to the airport concluded that the O'Hare Modernization Project was an asset to the region. When asked to reflect on their experiences, students shared their thoughts and questions. Below are a few of the participants' responses in their own words. - The pros outweigh the cons. That is, the reduction of delays and the increase of revenue and jobs are more profitable to the region. (Ben P.)
- OMP will help the region expand. (Lois K.)
- The expansion will bring in more commerce, tourism and business to Chicago and will allow O'Hare to better handle the massive amount of air traffic through the city. (Ryan A.)
- OMP will bring in new jobs and help the city gain standing on the world stage. (Lynda L.)
- The project will benefit the public because it will generate a substantial amount of money for government use, create jobs and ensure that Chicago remains competitive and even “gets ahead of the game” internationally. (Elizabeth L.)
- Even though OMP is displacing some people, the overall increase of revenue and productivity overwhelms the losses in the community. (Rachel G.)
- OMP is essential because due to continuous population growth, the airport will not only benefit the region but also the people who use the airport for business. (Matt Z.)
- OMP creates a huge boost economically and it brings people into the economy. (Johni C.)
- It will help our region out financially and it may also help us out with the recession. (Paula Y.)
- The project will benefit our communities economically in a variety of great ways: drawing workforce, businesses, tourism and generating growth of jobs. (Laura B.)
About FLIP: The Future Leaders in Planning (FLIP) program is designed to introduce high school participants from the region to a wide range of urban planning issues and engender a sense of citizenship and investment in the metropolitan area. Participants will be exposed to current regional concerns through a variety of means—expert interviews with professionals, field visits, multimedia tools and classroom instruction—and will ultimately present their findings and recommendations to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) Board at the completion of the program in the Spring of 2009. For more information, please contact Diana Torres at dtorres(at)cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8774. Update!In order to ensure a ballanced perspective on this issue, we have added a series of links to information on the OMP. We encourage youth and adults to read through these and form your own opinion. - Elmhurst Impacts - "O'Hare Airport Expansion", The Front Porch, September 2001
- Housing Impacts - "Villages block Chicago's bit to buy residents' land", Chicago Tribune, September 2004
- Political Impacts - "New life for group's lawsuit against DuPage", Daily Herald, September 2004
- Economic Impacts - InterVISTAS presentation to the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference (DMMC), November 2004
- Aviation Impacts - Shaw Pittman LLP presentation to DMMC, November 2004
- Current O'Hare Flight Capacity - "O'Hare capacity takes hit in study", Chicago Tribune, November 2004
- Coverage of DMMC Presentations - "Anti-O'Hare talk doesn't fly for some", Daily Herald, November 2004
- Transportation Impacts - "Bensenville, Elk Grove say O'Hare plan includes bypass through both towns", Daily Herald, November 2004
- Housing Impacts - "City snatches up property for O'Hare expansion", Chicago Sun Times, December 2004
- Transportation Impacts - Background materials presented to the Transportation Policy Committee of the DMMC, October 2007
- Transportation Impacts - "Municipalities Cite Concerns About Elgin-O'Hare Corridor", Business Ledger, October 2007
- Transportation Impacts - "Residents get say on new roadway", chicagotribune.com, November 2007
- Transportation Impacts - Elk Grove Village Statement on the Elgin O'Hare Expressway, January 2008
- Transportation Impacts - Meeting Materials from DuPage County’s Western O’Hare Corridor Implementation Team and IDOT’s Elgin O’Hare-West Bypass Project, February 2008
- Transportation Impacts - DMMC Legislative Action Program, 2009
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| O'Hare expansion is not sustainable; a world-class high speed rail system could reduce flights by about 50%.
Thus, there is no reason to spend about $70 BILLION of costly taxpayer money.
It will also reduce the significant public health problems that O'Hare causes (e.g., 400 cancer deaths a year).
High-speed rail can be built for 1/3 the costs of airport expansions, providing millions of new jobs.
Posted by: Administrator on 02/20/2009 |
| Though exposure of students (FLIP) to major issues is laudible, it is critically important that their exposure is as complete and balanced as possible.
It seems clear that this did not happen here and that, instead, the students were brainwashed with selective information, images and perspectives by OMP representatives and CMAP. For example, did their tour and information include exposure to the horrendous noise (such as in Park Ridge and other long-suffering communities)? Did the tour include the destruction in the once vibrant neighborhood of Bensenville? Were the health and climate change issues of huge amounts of airport air pollution debated? Was the fact that total passenger delays with OMP would actually go up properly portrayed? Were the total eventual OMP costs, probably greater than $60B, presented?
When CMAP participates in fooling of adults, it's unacceptable. When CMAP sponsors student brainwashing, it's shameful.
Posted by: Administrator on 02/22/2009 |
| Thank you for sharing your views. The purpose of FLIP is to show young residents how effective planning is all about trade-offs, and how those choices can profoundly shape individual residents' lives. As part of our tour, we made a point of driving through parts of Bensenville that have been seriously affected by the O'Hare expansion. We also had the students read an article from the Associated Press (“Tiny Suburb Fights Chicago over O’Hare Airport Project,” August 15, 2008).
After the trip, each of our students identified additional concerns and questions, many of them similar to the comments you already provided. The students were able to build on their prior FLIP experiences from five specific issues (transportation, housing, environment and natural resources, economic development and human services), connecting those broad and sometimes abstract issues to the real-world implications of projects like O'Hare.
These exceptional young people are fully capable of weighing complex issues like this one, and they're far too savvy to accept any adult's views without thinking for themselves. Again, that type of critical thinking is what FLIP is all about.
Posted by: Administrator on 02/24/2009 |
| I would like to second Advisors comments about high speed trains. Well thought out trains would provide a fabulous jump to our infrastructure and would provide more jobs than either the Ohare Expansion or a third airport.
Posted by: Administrator on 03/02/2009 |
| | The 4-1-1 on 2-1-1By Shana Alford
2/13/09 Do you know about 2-1-1? 2-1-1 is a communication network that provides callers with information and referrals about human services within their communities or regions. There are nearly 250 2-1-1 operational systems nationwide that rely on trained operators, a web database, and local telecommunication networks to deliver services. In 31 states, plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, 2-1-1 services cover at least 90% of populations. In 2007, ten million calls were handled nationwide by 2-1-1 operators. Two of the most frequently documented areas of referrals were for 1) housing and shelter and 2) income support and assistance.
The foreclosure and credit crises have put a spotlight on the types of needs that millions of people have ranging from unemployment guidance to childcare. NPR recently presented a story about how 2-1-1 is helping people in Los Angeles to get assistance with basic needs like food and shelter. Read more about 2-1-1 around the nation and in Illinois on the GO TO 2040 website. permalink Do you Twitter? Follow Us! |
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| Is 3-1-1 the Cook County equivalent of 2-1-1, or are they some how different?
Posted by: Administrator on 02/15/2009 |
| Jessica-Thank you for the question.
3-1-1 is not the equivalent of 2-1-1 and they are different. 3-1-1 is a municipal government service line that addresses citizen concerns whereas 2-1-1 is a community service line that helps people navigate to the most appropriate organizations for their human service needs. For example, 3-1-1 may be contacted regarding fixing a light post or pothole on a neighborhood street. 2-1-1 may be contacted if someone was looking for information about housing services or local food pantries. I hope that you read more about 2-1-1 on our webpage. Illinois does not operate 2-1-1 right now, but there is potential for a future service.
Posted by: Administrator on 02/17/2009 |
| | by Anne Holub
2/12/09  At our new CMAP web page you can follow along as our staff posts frequent updates and analysis of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan and how it might affect northeastern Illinois. Among highlights are CMAP's draft recommendation criteria for evaluating projects needing funding. You can check back to the page for frequent updates, or subscribe to a special RSS feed. 
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| | Submit Your Photos to Our Flickr Poolby Anne Holub
2/6/09 If you use Flickr to organize and share your photos of northeastern Illinois, then we'd love to see more of you! Check out our new GO TO 2040 Flickr page, and great photos in the Explore Northeastern Illinois Flickr pool. There you can check out (and submit) photos of northeastern Illinois including Chicago, Cook County, Will County, Lake County, Kendall County, DuPage County, and McHenry County. In the photo pool, we'd especially like to see pictures depicting topics such as land use, housing, environment, health & human services, transportation, and economic & community development. Plus. photos submitted to the pool might be selected for use here in the GO TO 2040 blog, and other places on the CMAP web sites. We look forward to seeing your photos of northeastern Illinois! permalink Do you Twitter? Follow Us! |
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| | by Anne Holub
2/5/09 A network of cameras in Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota and Missouri aren't interested in security, traffic, or a major event -- they're just checking out the skyline. The Midwest Hazecam project is a collaboration headed by the Midwest Regional Planning Organization, among other groups, to observe the air quality conditions in several urban and rural locations. Check out the webcams and you'll see conditions from Chicago, Cinncinnati, Milwaukee and even the Seney Wildlife Refuge in Michigan. The Midwest Hazecam project offers insights into causes of poor visibility and air pollution levels through data collected about air quality and meterological conditions. The Hazecam project also provides information on the causes of poor visibilty (whether it's a man-made cause or not). How does what we do in northeastern Illinois affect air quality in the region? CMAP's Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for northeastern Illinois tracks the use of local, state, and federal transportation funds, and fosters a discussion about regional transportation needs. The topics of discussion include how the region's transportation plans may affect air quality in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will counties. Check out our Interactive TIP Map (beta version) for a look at projects now underway or in the planning process. permalink Do you Twitter? Follow Us! |
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