Regional Groups Building Consensus for Pro-Metro U.S. Policies
As the nation prepares for an historic presidential
election, a broad range of Chicago-area civic groups is coming together to
develop recommendations for reforming federal policies to support metropolitan
regions. Over the next few months, this effort – convened by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency
for Planning
– will develop a series of
pragmatic, cost-effective, unified proposals that will be presented to the new
president’s transition team. The intent is to revamp federal policies on
transportation, housing, economic development, and environment, to strengthen
Chicagoland and other urban areas, and in turn, the
nation.
“The
health of our metropolitan regions is not only important to four out of five
Americans living in or near cities, but also critical to keeping the
U.S.
a global powerhouse,” said MPC
President MarySue Barrett. “If our next president supports proven approaches to
unleash the potential of metros, the economy will start humming
again.”
Transportation networks, water systems, green spaces,
media coverage, and yes, even sports teams, unite metropolitan regions. However,
federal policy rarely recognizes those connections and often inhibits decision
making and investment on a regional scale. For more information about this
effort, please contact MPC President MarySue Barrett, 312-863-6001 or msbarrett@metroplanning.org.
Transit Fare Hikes Pale in Comparison with Cost of Area Traffic Congestion
It may cost Chicagoans 25 to 50 cents more to ride the L
or bus next year, according to the Chicago Transit Authority’s proposed 2009
budget. Still, at $2 or $2.25 per ride, the cost beats what Chicagoland drivers
pay every year due to traffic jams: MPC’s recent Moving at the Speed of Congestion
report
shows excess traffic on our roads costs the average rush-hour driver
$1,579
a year – or a
mind-boggling $7.3 billion annually for the region.
The figure is nearly double the
largest previous estimate from the
2007
Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) Urban Mobility report.
That’s because MPC’s report examines gridlock over longer periods of the day and
across a larger portion of the region’s road network. Also, Moving at the
Speed of Congestion
drew
from detailed local data provided by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for
Planning, while TTI’s study (which is updated annually, with 2008 figures
expected this fall) relies upon Federal Highway Administration data.
“Our region has a serious traffic
problem that is costing people and businesses billions of dollars a year,” said
Peter Skosey
, MPC vice president of
external relations. “As a region, we must start to identify and invest in smart
solutions – including expanded public transportation, an increasingly attractive
choice for commuters weary of high gas prices.”
For more information
about Moving at the Speed of
Congestion,
contact Skosey at 312-863-6004 or
pskosey@metroplanning.org
;
or visit MPC’s Web site.
How to Bring a Neighborhood to Life? Ask the People Who Live There
Parks, plazas, fountains – pretty places alone don’t make
a neighborhood. When a great place attracts people, that’s when a community
comes to life. In partnership with New York City-based Project for Public Spaces
, MPC is releasing a new guidebook and training
community development and public sector leaders to put the emphasis on the
people first when planning or revitalizing public spaces across the metropolitan
region.
The concept of designing
places around the way people will use them is known as
“Placemaking.”
Since 1975, Project for Public
Spaces has spread the gospel of Placemaking in more than 2,000 communities in 26
countries around the world, helping people turn their public spaces into vital
community places. In October, MPC and PPS are jointly releasing “A Guide to
Neighborhood Placemaking in Chicago,” filled with local case studies and
step-by-step advice for creating and sustaining vibrant public places in
Chicagoland neighborhoods. The two groups also will co-host workshops on Oct. 23
and 24, to help community groups and public agencies get familiar with
Placemaking concepts and practices, so they can apply those ideas to projects
that will bring new life to communities across the region.
To learn more about Placemaking, contact Peter Skosey,
MPC vice president of external relations, 312-863-6004 or
pskosey@metroplanning.org. In coming weeks, look for the new Web site, www.placemakingchicago.com
.
Great Lakes Infrastructure Conference to Shape Agenda for Next President
Crumbling bridges, insufficient mass transit, brownouts,
soaring energy costs, freight gridlock, flooding, and polluted waters – all have
made headlines in recent years, and all stem from poor planning and the
continued strain on our nation's infrastructure. Meanwhile, the need for
economic stimulus is greater than ever. To build consensus for a new
infrastructure agenda for the Great Lakes megaregion, the Metropolitan Planning
Council and Regional Plan
Association of New York will co-host “Rebuilding and Renewing America:
Infrastructure Choices in the Great Lakes Megaregion,” an America 2050 forum, on
Monday, Nov. 17, 2008
, from
8
a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 E. Wacker Dr., Chicago.
Invited
speakers include Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, California Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Chicago Mayor Richard M.
Daley.
Leaders from the Great Lakes business, civic, government,
and academic communities are being invited to help identify and prioritize
strategic investments in transportation, water, and energy to be included in a
national infrastructure plan, authorization of a new surface transportation
bill, pending climate change legislation, and implementation of the Great Lakes
Compact. This forum is part of America 2050, a national initiative to develop an
infrastructure strategy for America 's future growth, competitiveness and
sustainability. The conference is invitation-only. Members of the media who
would like to attend should contact MPC Asst. Communications Director Mandy
Burrell Booth, at 312-863-6018 or mburrell@metroplanning.org
.