(Chicago)
… The Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) and Chicago Metropolis 2020 will
discuss the immediate challenges and long-term opportunities that will be
tackled by northeastern Illinois’ newly created Regional Planning Board at a
media briefing
Aug. 10, 2005, from noon to 1:30 p.m., at
MPC offices, 25 E. Washington St.,
Suite
1600,
Chicago.
When Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich signs HB3121, for the first time in
northeastern
Illinois’
history, a single agency will coordinate and guide transportation and land use
development. The Regional Planning Board – created by the merger of the
Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) and Chicago Area Transportation
Study (CATS) – has the potential to vastly improve the way the region manages
growth, according to the Council and Chicago Metropolis 2020.
“Until now,
people concerned about a lack of transportation choices or uncoordinated growth
didn’t know where to lodge a complaint,” said MarySue Barrett,
Council president. “With the ability to shape
both land use decisions and road and transit projects, the new board not only
will streamline economic development, housing, transportation, and natural
resources decisions affecting our growing region but also give us a stronger voice
in securing federal
funding.”
“Time
spent stuck in bumper-to-bumper
traffic is costly to businesses and families.With the region’s
population expected to increase by almost two million
by 2030, we must plan now to avoid the kind of traffic jams that cripple
regional
economies,”
said George Ranney, Chicago Metropolis 2020 president and CEO.
“This legislation allows
us to begin the work of creating a strong agency with the talent and capacity to
carry out a coordinated transportation and land use
plan.”
What:
Media briefing, co-hosted by the Metropolitan
Planning Council and Chicago
Metropolis 2020, to provide
an overview of the new Regional Planning Board created by
merging the region’s land use and transportation planning
agencies
Who:
(speaking at the event)
MarySue
Barrett, President, Metropolitan Planning Council;
James LaBelle, Deputy Director, Chicago Metropolis 2020;
John S. Gates Jr.,
Chair, CenterPoint Properties Trust
When:
Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2005
Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Where:
Metropolitan
Planning
Council, 25 E. Washington
St., Suite
1600,
Chicago
All media are welcome to attend. Lunch will be provided.
Please register by contacting Mandy Burrell at
312-863-6018.