Though officials proposed several promising schemes, a lack of quickly executable plans knocked the region from contention for federal funds.
"The federal government will award more than $1 billion early next month to help some cities reduce congestion, but the Chicago area -- notorious for traffic jams -- won't get a penny.
It's not that officials in the six-county region didn't offer several promising ideas in their entry submitted to the federal Urban Partnership competition. However, the presentation, led by the Illinois Department of Transportation, consisted mainly of preliminary concepts that will require deeper analysis and feasibility studies."
"All the proposals in the federal grant application would take time -- and some local investment -- to implement, officials said.
But quick action -- not long-range planning -- is what the U.S. Department of Transportation was looking for.
Therefore, the Chicago region was not among the nine metro areas recently named semifinalists in the competition. The nine cities are preparing to implement their programs and write new laws to bring about the changes needed to ease traffic bottlenecks.
New York made it to the final round, giving a boost to Mayor Michael Bloomberg's congestion-pricing proposal to charge cars entering Manhattan $8 per day, and trucks $21, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The other semifinalists are Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Miami, Minneapolis-St. Paul, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle."
FULL STORY: Gridlock plan stalls out
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research