Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about Metropolitan Planning Council

MPC: We Can Solve IL Infrastructure Woes via Higher Gas Tax, Vehicle Fees

By John Greenfield | Apr 4, 2016 | 3 Comments

A new report by the Metropolitan Planning Council finds that Illinois needs to invest $43 billion over the next decade to get its roads, bridges, and transit lines in a state of good repair. This is a daunting number, especially for a state that has gone over nine months without a budget plan. However, the […]

CMAP Launches Input Process for ON TO 2050, Chicago’s Next Regional Plan

By Steven Vance | Mar 8, 2016 | 5 Comments

This is part one of a two-part series about ON TO 2050, the new comprehensive regional plan for Chicagoland. The official planning agency for the Chicagoland region is looking for your big ideas on what the region should look like – and how it could get there – in 2050. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning […]

The Way Forward: Gas Tax, Vehicle Miles Traveled, or Value Capture?

By John Greenfield | May 15, 2015 | 1 Comment

Local leaders agree that Chicago region’s public transit system, and Illinois transportation infrastructure in general, are sorely underfunded. However, it’s clear that the traditional strategy of relying on gas tax revenue to fund projects is no longer working. The state gas tax has been stuck at 19 cents a gallon since 1990, and due to […]

Experts Critique 28 Community Proposals for Logan Square ‘L’ Site

By Payton Chung and Jessica Papanek | Oct 2, 2014 | 10 Comments

On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Planning Council concluded the Corridor Development Initiative, a series of three public meetings that brought area residents together to envision a new development atop the entrance to the Logan Square ‘L’ station. 35th Ward Alderman Rey Colón enthusiastically noted that this was by far the best-attended of the three meetings. The […]

MPC Study Provides Data on the Economic Benefits of People Spots

By John Greenfield | Sep 25, 2014 | 6 Comments

From a quick glance at a People Spot mini park filled with people enjoying the weather on a gorgeous afternoon, it may seem obvious that the extra foot traffic is providing a boost to nearby businesses. A recent study by the Metropolitan Planning Council attempted to quantify this economic benefit, and found that these parklets […]

“Old Place New Tricks” Contest Pushes Neighborhood Placemaking

By John Greenfield | Jun 5, 2014 | No Comments

A video promoting the contest, featuring MPC’s Kara Riggio. The Metropolitan Planning Council has been holding placemaking contests since 2008, but this year they’re going to actually train community members in strategies to enliven underused lots, plazas and corners in their neighborhoods. The Old Place New Tricks Challenge will also reward the most successful placemakers with […]

To Grow Transit Ridership, Chicagoland Needs to Build Near Transit

By John Greenfield | Mar 4, 2014 | 26 Comments

Testifying before the Northeastern Illinois Public Transit Task Force Friday, the Metropolitan Planning Council’s Peter Skosey argued that the region could significantly increase transit ridership by encouraging jobs and development near existing stations. Governor Pat Quinn created the 15-member task force last summer in the wake of the controversial ouster of Metra CEO Alex Clifford. […]

Saving Time and Money Through Transportation Demand Management

By Kristen Maddox | Dec 9, 2013 | 4 Comments

Traffic jams cost Chicagoland residents more than $7.3 billion every year in wasted time and fuel, according to the Metropolitan Planning Council’s 2008 report “Moving at the Speed of Congestion.” And we’re not headed in the right direction: The share of drive-alone commuters in the region increased from 46 percent to 51 percent from 1990 […]

Check Out MPC’s New Video Introducing Bus Rapid Transit to Chicagoans

By John Greenfield | Jun 25, 2013 | 36 Comments

The city’s plan for “gold-standard” bus rapid transit on Ashland between 95th and Irving Park will create a fast, reliable north-south public transportation route by converting travel lanes into dedicated bus lanes, helping more people move efficiently though the city. That’s a hard concept for many Chicagoans to wrap their heads around, as evidenced by […]

Union Station Contest Will Add Pizzazz to an Underused Public Space

By John Greenfield | Jun 20, 2013 | 11 Comments

Chicago’s Union Station is a key national transportation hub and one of our city’s iconic structures, but in some ways it’s sadly underutilized. The Metropolitan Planning Council, a nonprofit that promotes sustainable transportation and development in the region, wants to change that. Their fifth annual placemaking contest, Activate Union Station, challenges Chicagoans to come up […]

It’s Up to Chicago to Set a Bold New Standard for American BRT

By John Greenfield | Mar 4, 2013 | 11 Comments

“We knew how important it was for federal policy makers to see innovation and new ideas bubbling up from important cities around the country,” said Nick Turner, managing director of the Rockefeller Foundation at a bus rapid transit roundtable last Friday. The foundation has provided roughly $2.8 million in grants to Chicago’s BRT program for […]

How BRT Can Build Chicago’s Economy as Well as Improve Mobility

By Steven Vance | Jan 22, 2013 | 11 Comments

As planning advances for Chicago’s first full-fledged Bus Rapid Transit routes, public officials and advocates are starting to make the case that new, high-quality bus service is about more than getting people from point A to point B quickly and reliably. Those mobility benefits will be significant, but if BRT succeeds at improving transit trips […]

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