Adopted in October 2010, GO TO 2040 is the long-term regional plan for the metropolitan Chicago area, including Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), formed by the Illinois General Assembly in 2005, integrates planning and land use for seven counties and attempts to align public policies and investments to improve preparedness for the projected additional 2 million residents by 2040. The plan has four themes: Livable communities, Human Capital, Efficient Governance and Regional Mobility with 12 underlying recommendation areas. The plan's implementation phase is underway, aided by a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant of $4.25 million, which helped the regional agency to create a new Local Technical Assistance program of CMAP staff support to communities seeking to put the plan's principles in action.

You can find more about GO TO 2040, including the full version of the plan, at www.cmap.illinois.gov/2040.

 This plan was nominated for the National Association of Regional Councils 2011 General Achievement Award.