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Wormholes and tesseracts? Maybe not, but we're working on a future that'll meet our wildest dreams
Ask a third-grader to solve our most pressing transportation problems, and the answers will be amazing: We'll do it Marvel-style, with a tesseract and wormholes!
Erin Aleman, executive director of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, wrote about the future of transportation for the Eno Transportation Weekly's Women Take Over edition.
She looked to her son for inspiration, and the Marvel fan thought of unlimited energy and portals to help us travel around the galaxy. That technology might not be right around the corner, but we're working on a future of transportation that is no less amazing.
It's a future where all travel modes are safe and accessible for everyone. It's a future where everyone in northeastern Illinois will have multiple transportation options to meet their needs. It's where we all can breathe easy because we have a clean transportation system as we reduce — and eventually eliminate — greenhouse gas emissions.
And the good news? Our region has a strong team of superheroes planning for it now!
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Ready to help: CMAP's technical assistance program offers support for our region's communities
CMAP's technical assistance program supports communities. It offers planning and implementation assistance, provides interagency expertise, leverages the region’s transit network, and helps build local government capacity. Our recently closed call for technical assistance projects resulted in more than 120 applications.
Here are some highlights of the work CMAP supports in the region:
Bronzeville
Bronzeville is designated as a cultural district by the State of Illinois, is a National Heritage Area, and is the home of achievements in arts and culture, business, politics, sports, and recreation.
CMAP is working with the Bronzeville-Black Metropolis National Heritage Area to create a management plan to submit to the National Park Service.
We want to hear from those who know the area best for stories that educate, inspire, and deeply resonate with local residents and visitors. Take a survey to share your knowledge.
Calumet City
Calumet City has been working alongside CMAP and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago to create a subarea plan on the city's eastern edge that overlaps the 1st and 5th wards. The plan aims to:
- Improve transportation
- Minimize local flooding
- Create streets that are more accessible and attractive.
West Cook Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan
Five villages — Bellwood, Berkeley, Broadview, Hillside, and Westchester — have partnered with CMAP to create a complete and connected network of bikeways and sidewalks to access important destinations.
This plan will engage underrepresented groups to make communities safer for children, seniors, and other vulnerable road users.
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Building better bike lanes: accessibility considerations need to be part of the plan
Safety improvements for bicyclists should not come at the expense of safety and access for people with disabilities. Northeastern Illinois can improve safety for bicyclists while promoting accessibility for all roadway users.
As more communities expand biking infrastructure, accessibility considerations need to be part of the plan. CMAP is excited to share “Accessibility considerations for bike lanes,” a guide for municipalities and planners that explores Americans with Disabilities Act requirements related to parking, crosswalks, and sidewalk access in the context of separated bike lanes. It touches on legal risks associated with non-compliance and lists relevant resources and design guides.
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A view through the years: discover aerial photos of our region
Our Imagery Explorer showcases CMAP's large collection of aerial photographs of northeastern Illinois from 1970 through 1995. The archive includes 6,300 images in 6 of the region's counties.
The photographs provide valuable resources for planning activities like landscape and land use analysis, environmental impact assessments, development projects, and education. These images can help examine changes in properties, neighborhoods, and land use in general.
You also can view changes in historical, environmental, or architectural information about certain sites over time.
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There's still time to sign up: final sessions of free accessibility training
The last planned sessions in CMAP's free accessibility trainings series are coming up. If a representative from your community hasn’t already attended, we encourage you to take this opportunity to learn about improving accessibility and compliance with the ADA, with a focus on the public right-of-way. Spaces are limited, so please register now!
Upcoming trainings at a glance:
- Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) sessions (full day)
- Illinois Accessibility Code training
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CMAP's updated Land Use Inventory now available to download
Are you interested in how policies have affected land use in your community? CMAP has updated the latest Land Use Inventory for 2020. CMAP updates the inventory every few years, with data going back to 1990 that can track changes over time.
The Land Use Inventory is a resource for planners, transportation agencies, federal and state agencies, university researchers, non-governmental organizations, consulting firms, and more. It can help you understand land uses when creating a comprehensive plan and tracking progress toward goals. For example, you can monitor what impact policies have had on transit-oriented development.
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Greenhouse gas inventory: where do the emissions come from?
CMAP collaborated on a project completed by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus — the Priority Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Metropolitan Statistical Area — by conducting a greenhouse gas emissions inventory, among other analyses.
As part of the planning process, CMAP's greenhouse gas inventory found that more than half of all emissions came from industry (29 percent) and transportation (23 percent) in 2020. The region has played a longstanding role as a national manufacturing and transportation hub.
Other large emissions sources were the commercial and residential building sectors. This is likely because of our region's northern climate — requiring heating in the winter and cooling in the summer — and older building stock.
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Act Locally: guide aims to help local leaders access federal resources
The Natural Resources Defense Council's new Act Locally guide is designed to help local leaders access and activate federal infrastructure resources:
- Tips on major opportunities for local leaders to engage with state decision makers
- Information on transportation, buildings, and energy funding streams
- Detailed information for five states — Illinois, Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania
The guide finds that nearly $3 trillion in federal infrastructure funds can be deployed to support bold solutions to complex community challenges. But to do so, local leaders must understand what's available and which infrastructure funds are most flexible. Local leaders also need to partner with state leaders to access and maximize climate and equity benefits.
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Workshop will explore sustainable transportation
A two-day event — hosted by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois Chicago — will explore questions about transitioning to low-carbon transportation systems while addressing the needs of all populations.
Envisioning Equitable Transitions to Sustainable Transportation Systems is set for May 16 and 17. It will bring together researchers, educators, industry professionals, and activists to focus on issues surrounding sustainable transportation and social justice.
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Chicago Water Week coming in May
Chicago Water Week takes place May 5-11. Hosted by Current, a nonprofit that develops climate solutions, the observance highlights the role of water in our environment, communities, and economy.
Chicago Water Week will include free, water-focused events hosted by Current's partner organizations, to engage regional leaders, policymakers, innovators, researchers, advocates, and industry veterans.
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RTA highlights progress on Transit is the Answer
The Regional Transportation Authority's (RTA) Transit is the Answer plan includes programs that aim to make paying for transit simpler and more affordable.
This month, the RTA hosted a virtual session that drew more than 80 participants to discuss progress on implementing Transit is the Answer. Attendees heard from RTA staff on:
- Development of a tool for evaluating equity within the transit network
- The Access Pilot Program to make transit more affordable for low-income Metra riders
- Initiatives to improve rider and operator safety
- Progress on RTA’s 2024 state legislative agenda
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Program to improve safety and efficiency of suburban Cook County homes
Suburban Cook County residents can apply for free safety, energy efficiency, water conservation, and whole-home upgrades through Healthy Homes for Healthy Families.
The program uses American Rescue Plan Act funds to address home health hazards such as lead, radon, mold, and other conditions that adversely affect residents of all ages. They can be especially dangerous for infants and children.
Participants may be eligible for lead abatement, structural repairs, water conservation upgrades, weatherization, and installation of high-efficiency appliances.
Healthy Homes for Healthy Families is free for eligible residents (owner or renter) of single-family and multi-family (up to four-unit) residential buildings in suburban Cook County. The program is open to residents earning up to 120 percent of area median income who reside in a high-risk zip code for pediatric lead poisoning or in a disadvantaged census tract defined by the federal government.
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