Equitable Infrastructure

The Chicago region is defined by transit, yet the future of this vital infrastructure hangs in the balance. MPC is actively engaged in developing legislative and policy recommendations for the future of the region's transit system.

Chicago and most suburbs were built before modern stormwater management. Most of our stormwater flows off roofs and pavement into a combined sewer system that is not equipped to handle that much water at once. The overflow causes widespread urban flooding that hits lower-income and minority communities the hardest. Enter StormStore, a stormwater credit trading market for Cook County.

In an effort to prepare our region for federal grant opportunities, MPC worked to document the equity and environmental harms that transportation infrastructure has caused. Our report also includes community-generated project ideas to repair those harms.

MPC works to prevent flooding, improve water quality and foster social, economic and environmental benefits within communities. We work with a range of stakeholders at the state, regional and local levels to build resilient communities by pairing strategic investment in green infrastructure nature-based solutions with essential grey infrastructure improvements.

Clean, abundant drinking water is the backbone of any community. MPC works with partners and stakeholders across Northeastern Illinois to ensure appropriate investment, coordinated planning and 21st Century best practices for equitably managing our drinking water supply and systems.

Mobility is a human right. Regardless of age or ability, access to high-quality accessible transportation is fundamental to exercising that right. MPC worked with policy experts, service providers, advocates, and paratransit users to create a vision for a better system.

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) provides rail-like speed and convenience at a fraction of the cost of installing rail. MPC’s report lays the groundwork for a 10-route BRT network that would provide better more equitable transit service for all our residents.

The independent Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) works with governments, businesses, community leaders, and advocacy groups to promote racially equitable and environmentally sustainable planning and policy solutions necessary for every neighborhood to thrive.  To this end, MPC’s work focuses on creating Thriving Communities, Equitable Infrastructure and Just Public Systems.

The independent Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) works with governments, businesses, community leaders, and advocacy groups to promote racially equitable and environmentally sustainable planning and policy solutions necessary for every neighborhood to thrive.  To this end, MPC’s work focuses on creating Thriving Communities, Equitable Infrastructure and Just Public Systems.

Lead service lines pose serious health concerns not just to our region, but across the entire State of Illinois. Replacing them touches on persistent questions of equity. MPC and broad coalition of partners are pursuing new strategies to help communities tackle a critical statewide infrastructural issue.

In August of 2022, MPC released research and recommendations on the need to center equity in how development is funded in the City of Chicago. A new website equitableincentives.org, was launched to house the findings and help users understand how and where specific financial incentives have been used in the past,... Read more »

MPC is advocating for policies, funding, and planning that advances development near transit—known as transit-oriented development, or TOD—for people of all incomes, in neighborhoods across the region.