CMAP'S GO TO 2040 comprehensive regional plan

Population in the seven counties of metropolitan Chicago is expected to reach nearly 11 million by 2040. To accommodate these 2.8 million new residents, our region has some urgent decisions to make in the very near future. Should rapid growth outward continue? Or should we consolidate housing and jobs where infrastructure already exists? Should we emphasize roads or transit — or invest in both? How can we reduce energy use while also strengthening our region’s economy?

As a region, we can’t solve everything at once, so it’s all about trade-offs. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) has begun an important new “Invent the Future” public-input phase of the GO TO 2040 comprehensive planning process, timed to coincide with the Burnham Centennial. Residents cancreate their own future scenarios by visiting www.goto2040.org, attending one of 50 public workshops, or test-driving an interactive kiosk at dozens of sites across the region, including Millennium Park, Metra stations, libraries, festivals, and other locations.

Public input will help CMAP to prioritize regional investments and policies in the GO TO 2040 plan, which will be released in October 2010.