Chicago Metropolis 2020: General Assembly Urged to Create Single, Streamlined Regional Transportation and Land-Use Planning Agency
Merger of Existing Planning Agencies in Fall Veto Session Seen as 'Foundation Reform' for Funding, Governance Changes
CHICAGO, Oct. 15 -- The following was released today by Chicago Metropolis 2020:
The Illinois General Assembly should create a single, comprehensive regional planning agency to connect land-use decisions with investments in mass transit and highways as the foundation for future transportation reforms in northeastern Illinois, a legislative panel was told today.
Chicago Metropolis 2020 urged the General Assembly to enact legislation in next month's fall session that would merge separate transportation and land-use planning organizations into a single, streamlined agency that would help guide public and private investments in development and transportation.
The new agency is essential to address traffic congestion in the region and increase suburb-to-suburb and reverse commute transportation options. Public opinion research conducted for Chicago Metropolis 2020 shows that traffic gridlock is a key concern among suburban residents.
"It makes no sense to plan separately for development and transportation. We need a single, accountable agency that integrates transportation and land-use planning and is more responsive to the needs of communities across the region," said Frank Beal, executive director of Chicago Metropolis 2020.
Consolidation of the Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS) and the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) would make land-use and transportation policy more accountable to residents throughout the region, said Beal. The board of the proposed agency would include elected officials from across Cook and the Collar Counties.
"With more coordinated planning, and a shift in priorities we could dramatically improve the results without spending any more money," commented Beal. "In short, better planning and more informed decisions can lead to better results at lower cost."
Chicago Metropolis 2020 is advocating for transportation reforms under the banner of MoveIllinois, a campaign for greater regional and bi-partisan cooperation when it comes to investing in the region's growth.
"Consolidation of land-use and transportation planning in a single, accountable agency is an absolute prerequisite to further reforms in regional transportation governance and funding. We can and should act now on the foundation for all reforms that will follow," Beal said. He spoke at the first hearing of the new Illinois House Special Committee on Mass Transit for Northeastern Illinois, chaired by Rep. Julie Hamos.
Beal said Democrats and Republicans alike should be able to agree on the need for comprehensive regional transportation and development planning that incorporates perspectives from across the six-county region.
Public agencies plan to spend more than $60 billion on building and maintaining transportation projects by the year 2030 -- without a comprehensive plan for how the region should grow and where to invest the money, Beal said. And in the meantime, it's estimated that the northeast Illinois region will grow by two million more people and one million new cars.
"The Chicago region is the third-most congested metropolitan area in the nation. Without significant reforms -- starting with what we are proposing to you today -- it's only going to get worse," Beal told the legislative panel.
"The only way to solve our traffic and institutional gridlock is to plan, make decisions and act as one region with one future," said Beal. "Fundamental reforms in our transportation system to benefit residents and businesses throughout the region can reduce traffic congestion, make public transportation more convenient and useful, improve the flow of goods, offer people better transportation choices and use tax dollars more wisely."
MoveIllinois is urging enactment of legislation that would merge the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) and the Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS). Currently, NIPC is responsible for long-range land-use and economic planning and CATS is responsible for transportation planning. The two agencies are governed by 54 board members, but the new agency would be governed by a board of 21.
"Transportation and land-use planning are fragmented, causing waste and inefficiency. More importantly, we are not solving our growing problems of uncontrolled waste and inefficiency," said Beal. "A single, streamlined comprehensive planning agency will help us do a better job of improving suburb-to-suburb travel and getting workers to their jobs more efficiently and with less traffic congestion."
The new Regional Policy Board would be charged, among other things, with preparing a Regional Comprehensive Plan by January 1, 2006 and updating the plan every five years. The plan would be developed with widespread input from state agencies and municipal government officials across the region. The region has not had a comprehensive land-use plan since 1977 and has never had a plan that combines land use and transportation.
The Board also would be designated as the agency to receive federal grants and loans for regional land-use and transportation planning and capital improvements of various transportation agencies.
Under terms of legislation proposed by MoveIllinois, the Regional Policy Board would consist of:
-- The chairmen of the county boards of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties -- Six members selected by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, including three from suburban Cook County and three from the Collar Counties. -- Three members selected by the governor -- The mayor of Chicago and five members selected by the mayor
Four of the members must be from outside state or local government. The day-to-day work of the Regional Policy Board would be managed by an executive director appointed by the Board.
The proposed composition assures that at least eleven members of the Board would be from outside the City of Chicago, with additional non-Chicago members likely depending on selections made by the governor and Cook County Board chairman. At least eight members would have to be from the Collar Counties, with additional representation possible depending on the selections of the governor.
Six choices are assigned to the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, made up of the mayors of the region's municipalities.
Chicago Metropolis 2020 is a nonprofit civic organization established by The Commercial Club of Chicago in 1999 to advocate for better regional planning and smart investments to promote the region's long-term health.