New Urbanism could be NE Illinois' guiding philosophy ... if you act now

As CNU XVI: New Urbanism and the Booming Metropolis draws nigh, an opportunity to help make big plans drops into the laps of Chicago-area new urbanists.

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s new website, Go to 2040, seeks to spark public discussion about regional comprehensive planning and a regional vision for northeastern Illinois over the next 32 years. The slogan, “Imagine that…” invites people to picture what the Chicago area will look like in 2040, with 2 million more residents and 1.2 million more jobs, as the first step toward making that regional vision reality.

Here is a “call to arms” for new urbanists across northeastern Illinois: CMAP wants to hear from us so let them hear from us.

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Take advantage of this opportunity and make New Urbanism a core philosophy of CMAP’s regional vision and plan.

CMAP is the result of a 2005 marriage (brought about by the Illinois General Assembly) between the former Chicago Area Transportation Study and the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission. Its responsibilities include regional land use and transportation planning for the traditional six-county Chicago area – Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties – and, thanks to suburban and exurban sprawl, Kendall County (recently cited as having the fastest-growing population in the United States).

And just to prove how far that sprawl has spread, the Go To 2040 campaign adds to its planning purview Aux Sable Township, in the extreme northeast corner of Grundy County.

CMAP touts Go To 2040 as “the region’s first truly comprehensive plan for land use and transportation.” The plan is scheduled to be completed by the Fall of 2010, so in good Chicago fashion, act early and often.