CMAP Releases Regional Scenario

By 2040, the seven-county region can have better transportation, increased economic development, cleaner air and water, more-accessible jobs and housing, and other quality-of-life improvements, say leaders of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) in a press release. On January 21st, CMAP released its preferred Regional Scenario — one last precursor to the GO TO 2040 comprehensive regional plan that will be available in draft form this spring, with implementation of the final plan to begin in October 2010.  The Regional Scenario (www.cmap.illinois.gov/2040scenario) establishes clear policy directions that CMAP will pursue in the plan itself, which is intended to guide growth and investment choices through mid-century and beyond in the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will.  Based on two years of research, analysis, and public input, the scenario tackles pressing issues that require coordinated solutions at the local and regional levels. 

CMAP's Snapshot Reports look closely at issues important to our region. Our newest addition, the State and Local Taxation Snapshot Report (PDF), describes a range of key issues related to state and local tax policies with an emphasis on the property, sales, income and motor fuel taxes. It also explains existing state and local revenue sharing arrangements and summarizes the available research on the relationship between taxation, business activity, and land use decisions. Read more and see all of our Snapshot Reports here.

The CMAP Board and MPO Policy Committee have voted to approve the "preferred Regional Scenario" that describes key policy directions that the GO TO 2040 plan will address. The draft had been presented and discussed at all of our working committees, as well as with partners around the region, in October, November, and December.  A color, illustrated version of the preferred Regional Scenario was released on January 21 and is the last major interim product before CMAP releases the draft GO TO 2040 comprehensive regional plan in June 2010.  

CMAP has produced a beautiful calendar featuring our 12 winning photos (plus a bonus Staff Pick) from the 2009 Images of Northeastern Illinois Photo Contest. You can complete this order form to obtain one for yourself (or a friend) for free and enjoy photos of our region all year long. Quantities are limited, so please order today.

Update: Thanks to everyone who ordered a calendar. Our supplies have run out and we've closed the ordering form. We are working to fill our orders to date and hope to have them shipped out shortly.

As part of the Regional Indicators project, CMAP is working with folks from Chicago Jobs Council, the CWICstats initiative at Chapin Hall (University of Chicago) and the PASCAL University Regional Engagement (PURE) project at NIU to make sure that the region has comprehensive key indicators for workforce development. To learn more about the Regional Indicators project and see the list of selected tracking indicators, click here.

OnEarth cover story highlights CMAP and GO TO 2040

The winter 2010 edition of OnEarth magazine features GO TO 2040, metropolitan Chicago's comprehensive regional plan that will guide development and infrastructure decisions through mid-century and beyond.  Several communities are described by journalist Laura Wright, who contrasts growth patterns of the 20th Century with the type of redevelopment and infill that CMAP and its partners seek to promote now.  The places profiled are Blue Island in south Cook County, the Prairie Crossing development of Grayslake in Lake County, and West Garfield Park on Chicago's west side.  There's no one-size-fits-all solution to how these and other communities can meet their challenges.  But the many needs they have in common -- for example, efficient infrastructure that contributes to economic development and resource conservation while letting people live nearer to where they work -- are prompting our communities to work together toward a more prosperous and sustainable region. 

We have recently added new strategy papers, including reports on Public Transportation [PDF], Parking Management, and Regional Energy [PDF]. Our library is now complete. Please feel free to use these papers as a resource and to contact CMAP staff with any questions or comments that you have. 

In early December, CMAP staff gained some great information from folks at CONNECT in San Diego to help bolster our economic innovation indicators. CONNECT is a regional organization that produces a quarterly innovation report. The report highlights business dynamics in the San Diego innovation sector, including start-ups, growth, venture capital investment, mergers and acquisitions, patent activity, federal research grants and research employment and wage statistics. Learn more about the Regional Indicators project and see the list of selected tracking indicators.

In early December the Burnham Centennial Partners held their final meeting. It has been a great year of in-depth programming and activities surrounding the accomplishments of the 1909 Plan of Chicago. We heard about green legacy projects, how the Chicago Public Schools will be integrating a 3rd Grade curriculum on planning, and about the need for better, more efficient transportation systems in our region. CMAP hopes to continue the momentum of the Centennial Celebration going by inviting Burnham Partners to be GO TO 2040 Partners who will help us implement the plan.

Stay up-to-date by becoming a GO TO 2040 Partner! We will have lots of great ways for you to be involved in the coming months.

GO TO 2040 Planning Process Summary

CMAP has updated the booklet that summarizes the GO TO 2040 planning process.  October 2010 is when the comprehensive regional plan will go to the CMAP Board for approval, immediately after which the implementation phase will begin.  Among the coming year's important milestones:

• January 2010:  Approval of the preferred Regional Scenario
• April 2010:  Approval of capital projects
• May 2010:  Release of draft plan for comment
• October 2010:  Approval of final GO TO 2040 plan, start of implementation phase

  

At each step, input from the public and stakeholder groups is vitally important.  There are many opportunities to stay engaged right here on the GO TO 2040 website. Take a look at our blog, at the latest Strategy Papers and at our Scenario Evaluation pages.

The Regional Indicators project is how CMAP will measure successful implementation of GO TO 2040 over time. The agency is working in collaboration with the Chicago Community Trust to acquire and track data to measure over 200 quality of life indicators through the year 2040. This information will be distributed to decision makers and the public via a comprehensive website. The website will offer users simple, interactive and free solutions for tabulating, mapping and visualizing data. Find out which indicators we’ll be tracking, how we’ve already begun to use indicator data and get an idea of what will be offered on the website.

This GO TO 2040 Online Press Kit is geared toward helping online media including bloggers, writers, and social media users, write about GO TO 2040 and the "Invent the Future" phase of the plan. Please click "more" and read on for ways that you can learn more about our exciting new phase.