Chicago, Illinois, Smart Growth Study

As part of the state's balanced growth initiative, the Illinois Department of Transportation initiated a smart growth study designed to assist mature urban communities located on the North Side of Chicago and the near northern suburbs in addressing traffic, pedestrian, bicycle, and transit issues and to build an understanding of the land use-transportation relationship. One of the major goals of this study was to demonstrate how an interactive, multijurisdictional planning process could address common land use and transportation issues with smart growth principles. A four-phase approach was developed. Phase 1 resulted in building an understanding of the physical, economic, and political dynamics of the study area and a strategic assessment of opportunities and constraints for promoting smart growth, land use, and transportation principles. Phase 2 included a community workshop with breakout groups to discuss specific transportation and land use issues. With input from the workshop and the study advisory group, a set of case studies was identified. These case studies were performed in Phase 3. Six site-specific case studies were performed that examined possible solutions with balanced growth principles. Three programmatic case studies were performed that included traffic-calming program guidelines, a context-sensitive roadway functional classification, and transit station area zoning guidelines. A funding source guide was also developed. The final phase was the development of a toolbox that included a comprehensive set of smart growth techniques. The study results were compiled on a compact disc and distributed to local communities.