What is a transportation resilience plan?

    A transportation resilience plan assesses the ability of the transportation system to withstand the impacts of climate change and extreme weather, and offers recommendations to make it more resilient. The Transportation Resilience Plan for the Central Council of Mayors will be focused on heavy rainfall, flooding, and stormwater issues. The plan will examine where flooding and stormwater needs coincide with planned transportation improvements. This will allow the Central Council of Mayors to invest capital funds in a resilient, efficient, and cost-effective way.

    What geographic area does the plan cover?

    The planning area for the Transportation Resilience Plan spans the entire Central Council region, which includes the following communities in west Cook County: Berwyn, Brookfield, Cicero, Countryside, Forest View, Hodgkins, Indian Head Park, La Grange, La Grange Park, Lyons, McCook, Riverside, Stickney, Summit, and Western Springs.

    Who is developing the plan?

    The Transportation Resilience Plan is being developed by the Central Council of Mayors (link) in partnership with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). The plan's development will also be guided by the project's Steering Committee, which will be formed in Summer 2021 and made up of municipal representatives and stormwater and transportation agencies.

    Who is the Central Council of Mayors?

    The Central Council of Mayors was created by and authorized by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) Policy Committee in 1965 to accomplish the following:

    • Provide input to the region’s transportation policy decisions;
    • Communicate between the local governments and the regional transportation agencies; and
    • Establish the priorities for the local Surface Transportation Program (STP) and implement the programmed projects.

    The Central Region Council of Mayors is an organization of fifteen municipalities in west Cook County. The member communities of the Central Region Council of Mayors include: Berwyn, Brookfield, Cicero, Countryside, Forest View, Hodgkins, Indian Head Park, LaGrange, LaGrange Park, Lyons, McCook, Riverside, Summit, Stickney, and Western Springs.

    Who is CMAP?

    The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is the regional planning agency for northeastern Illinois. CMAP serves seven counties, 284 municipalities, and over 1,200 units of government—the third largest metropolitan region in the United States. The agency was established in 2005 with the mission to plan comprehensively for economic prosperity and quality of life.

    Most recently, CMAP and its partners developed and are now implementing ON TO 2050, a new long-range plan to help the seven counties and 284 communities of northeastern Illinois implement strategies that address transportation, housing, economic development, open space, the environment, and other quality-of-life issues. To learn more about CMAP, visit www.cmap.llinois.gov.

    How will my comments on this page be used?

    Your comments will be used to inform the development of the Transportation Resilience Plan by the Central Council of Mayors and the project team. Your comments are voluntary and will be publicly visible.

    How will the community be engaged by the project team to help develop the plan?

    Public input is crucial to develop a plan that is driven by the needs and vision of Central Council communities. This engagement website will provide multiple opportunities for the public to provide input, share feedback, as well as track the plan’s development.