Since the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) was created in 2005, the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) has devoted much of our work to making CMAP all that it can be. We recognize the importance of strong regional planning and the need for a clear vision guiding Chicagoland's growth.
As CMAP prepares to release its first plan update, MPC is pleased with the progress the agency has made to date. CMAP set forth an ambitious agenda with GO TO 2040, and for the first time, the Chicago region has a unified transportation and land use plan that also covers workforce, local food production and many more issues. GO TO 2040 recognizes that all of these issues are interrelated and cannot be planned in individual silos.
But, CMAP cannot rest on its laurels. The agency must continue to provide leadership and guidance to the region’s communities as we all work toward equitable and sustainable economic growth. MPC offers these recommendations for CMAP as it embarks on the GO TO 2040 plan update.