The Cook County Transportation Plan, Connecting Cook County, was released over the summer. The following post is from the Cook County website. To view the Cook County Connections Newsletter, Fall 2016, please click here.

President’s Corner

Message from President Preckwinkle:

To the Residents of Cook County:

From roads and canals, to railways and airplanes, advances in transportation have shaped our nation and driven our economic presence in the world. Cook County’s economic health depends in no small part on our ability to provide systems that reduce the transportation costs for our families and businesses and improve commerce by more efficiently getting people to jobs and goods to markets. Transportation is an investment in our economic future.

In Cook County, we have the distinct advantage of being at the center of our nation’s transportation infrastructure. With two major airports, ten interstate expressways, and the largest freight hub in the nation, our transportation system is one of our region’s most important assets—key not only to our economic prosperity, but to the well-being of our residents. Yet, in the 70 years since the County’s last strategic transportation plan, the commitment and investment in our infrastructure has declined. Our transportation system has aged and fallen behind those of similar regions across the globe.

For too long, Cook County sat back while others made decisions affecting our residents and businesses. It’s time Cook County not only had a seat at the table, but also played a leadership role in creating a modern transportation system that meets changing consumer needs and responds to the demands of a twenty-first century economy.

Cook County has more than half of the metropolitan region’s population, jobs, and businesses and is uniquely vested in the health and sustainability of our transportation system. For these same reasons, we are also uniquely positioned to lead the charge.

Connecting Cook County is a call to action—a framework to promote the strategic partnerships and investments that strengthen our economy and lead to more livable communities.

Connecting Cook County includes input from the public and private sectors, issue experts, and community members who rely on our transportation system every day. It will allow us to achieve a better understanding of our current

Sincerely,