Ryan Griffin-Stegink
Is “resiliency” just the new “sustainability?” That question was on a lot of minds as we all sat down at MPC’s latest roundtable on the concept of resilient cities and what that means for planning. On Wednesday, May 15, we brought in experts from academia, a private utility and a government agency to have a robust discussion about the many facets of resiliency planning. If you missed the roundtable, be sure to check out the full video recording of the event, photos from the event and the presentation for download.
Resiliency has been in the news quite a bit in the past year with all the crises – weather, financial, security, health or otherwise – that we’ve had, and especially so recently with pieces in the New Yorker, the Atlantic Cities…
Continue »
The concept of infrastructure resiliency seeks out more durable, more flexible methods of managing resources.
Watch the live stream, viewable from both PCs and mobile devices.
As many new and recurring challenges affect and shape our response to extreme events, the importance of resilient infrastructure becomes increasingly critical. Security threats, an uncertain climate and financial instability have all left their mark on our existing systems, begging the question, “Are we prepared for the future?” The greater Chicago region has experienced its share of extremes, including a foreclosure crisis that has led to a shortage of rental housing and a supply/demand mismatch, drought conditions for most of 2012, blackouts throughout the region and, most recently, intense storms resulting in impassable expressways, five straight days of flooding and combined sewer overflows.
How can…
Continue »
Arial view of National Park Stadium
Wikimedia Commons
Washington, D.C., like cities across the country, has begun to experiment with new and more effective ways to price its parking. Visitors to a number of the city’s most popular areas, from the DC USA shopping center to the Washington Nationals stadium, will experience the changes up close as the District Dept. of Transportation (DDOT) expands use of a new approach to manage parking availability, by pricing meters based on the changing demand for parking at different times of day.
Due to growing commercial and residential development, several years ago officials identified a need for improved parking management. In March 2008, DDOT first rolled out Performance Based Parking in a pilot zone in neighborhoods near the new…
Continue »
Photo by Flickr user text_pat_color
Spring makes me feel happy, thanks to the sprouting plants in my parkway garden and along Chicago's verdant boulevards and downtown planting beds. This spring, I've been busy in MPC's "garden," recruiting and interviewing talent to join our growing team: I’m thrilled to welcome Debra Spencer as MPC’s new Government Relations Manager, and Yonah Freemark, a new Associate.
While it is always difficult to lose valued staff members, I've been reflecting on the influential roles our former colleagues have moved into, where they plant seeds that continue to flourish. I tapped our formidable database to produce a list of all the places where our former employees are making their marks. It's a terrific reminder that developing the region's leaders is a significant part of our mission.…
Continue »
Photo courtesy Chicago Water Taxi
During this summer’s Red Line closure, the Chicago Water Taxi will double its service to and from Chinatown, making it the best alternative for some during CTA’s ambitious renovation project.
There’s been a lot of press about the Chicago Transit Authority's (CTA) upcoming Red Line South Reconstruction Project, which is scheduled to begin on Sunday, May 19, and last for five months. With the Red Line sealed off from Cermak-Chinatown all the way south to 95th/Dan Ryan, and trains rerouted to the Green Line, some people are rightfully wondering how they’ll be getting around. CTA, Metra and Pace all list Red Line commuting options on their websites. But there’s another alternative that will begin service on Saturday, May 25, that’s worth noting.
During this summer’s Red Line closure, the Chicago Water Taxi will double its service to and from Chinatown, making it the best alternative for some during CTA’s ambitious renovation project. The boat…
Continue »