Illinois

The city of Chicago is planning to build a network of 280 electric vehicle charging stations throughout the city by the end of the year.

March 2, 2011 - Grist

Officials in DuPage County, Illinois are considering creating zoning tailored specifically at banning large religious facilities that they say are not in keeping with neighborhood character.

February 28, 2011 - Daily Herald

The migration away from the city was accelerated by the recent recession, as explosive growth of suburbs far outside of Chicago resulted in some counties growing by as much as 35%.

February 17, 2011 - The Wall Street Journal

Regional water issues are of major concern in many parts of the world. The Chicago area is especially sensitive to water. New efforts are underway there to help preserve a threatened resource.

February 15, 2011 - Citiwire

A study conducted in Illinois has found no correlation between rates of obesity to suburban sprawl, as was previously believed.

February 10, 2011 - US News

Building owners in downtown Chicago are hoping to push forward a project aimed at creating a "smart grid" of energy-efficient and energy-producing buildings.

January 25, 2011 - The Architect's Newspaper

While Gov. Walker's rejection of $810 million of federal stimulus funds for the Milwaukee-Madison rail upgrade has received much publicity, he has not ruled out using funds to upgrade the existing Milwaukee-Chicago Hiawatha Line pushed by businesses.

January 19, 2011 - Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Columnist Jon Hilkevitch writes that a new public-opinion poll on mass-transit issues found that the Chicagoans care deeply about them. Though the candidates haven't taken sides yet, it could be a deciding factor.

January 17, 2011 - The Chicago Tribune

Lawrence Avenue in Chicago's Lincoln Square ballooned over the years to 4 lanes. Putting the street on a "road diet" will make it friendlier to pedestrians.

January 10, 2011 - The Chicago Tribune

Sounding very much like the new OH and WI Republican governors, a key state Republican legislator wants to avoid the ongoing state subsidy for Iowa City to Chicago trains. At stake is $230 million in a Federal rail grant to build 110 mph trains.

January 10, 2011 - Des Moines Register

Blair Kamin reflects on the soon-to-be-ex-mayor Richard Daley's legacy, his "passion to build," and how Chicago might be shaped without his influence.

January 4, 2011 - The Chicago Tribune

American City & County Magazine picks 6 "crown communities" for 2010, which it says "exhibit the qualities that build strong communities: cooperation, creativity and leadership."

January 2, 2011 - American City And County

Skidmore, Owings and Merrill re-designed the former U.S. Steel plant site, which will eventually house almost 50,000 people.

December 30, 2010 - The New York Times

"Give a Minute" is a program that seeks ideas for fixing cities directly from the people who use them, using ads in newspapers and displays in public spaces to ask a big question, such as "What would get you to walk, bike or take transit more often?"

December 25, 2010 - Urban Omnibus

Lax enforcement of standards created to limit exhaust from idling diesel-powered vehicles and buses shows that there is still work to be done in Mayor Richard Daley's quest to position Chicago atop the list of the nation's greenest cities.

November 22, 2010 - The Chicago Tribune

This post from The City Fix looks at various efforts to increase communication between transit riders and transit providers in Chicago.

November 18, 2010 - The City Fix

Architect Claire Lester reimagines Chicago's O'Hare as a dynamic, multipurpose environment.

November 14, 2010 - The Architect's Newspaper

Hollywood producers are planning a film version of the Chicago-focused book The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic And Madness At The Fair That Changed America.

November 13, 2010 - Deadline New York

Chicago is trying to position itself as one of the greenest cities in America, but longheld plans to upgrade the city's overburdened stormwater system highlight how far it has to go.

November 12, 2010 - Green Source

Branden Klayko says that Chicago's new GOTO 2040 plan is a bold vision that includes extensive infill development and an emphasis on creating compact communities around transit.

November 10, 2010 - The Architect's Newspaper