Citizens for Appropriate Transportation (CAT)
Eisenhower
Transportation Corridor
TRANSPORTATION
LAND USE RELATIONSHIPS
Transportation
and land use influence each other. Make major
changes in one; expect major changes in the other. This is not a new idea. In ancient times, cities were
built near water bodies to allow people and goods to travel.
In
the 1930s, British town planner Sir Raymond Unwin
said, The aim of the planner must be to place all his parts and buildings in
such relation one to the other as to permit the life of the town to flourish
with the least possible moving to and fro of goods and persons.
The
Illinois Department of Transportation is looking at major changes in the
Eisenhower Expressway. IDOT must also
consider transit alternatives, such as a Blue Line Extension and upgrades to
the Metra commuter rail system. Such
investments in transportation infrastructure last a long time.
Transportation
systems play three roles: (1) move people and goods, (2) provide access to
adjacent property, and (3) shape development patterns. Engineers design expressways to move high
volumes of traffic at high speeds, so IDOT recognizes the role the Eisenhower
plays in moving people and good.
Expressways do not provide direct access to property, but interchanges
with the local street system accomplish this.
It is not clear how much attention IDOT will pay to the role expressways
and transit systems play in shaping development patterns. Planners and developers locate high activity
land uses, such as shopping and employment centers, near high traffic carrying
transportation facilities.
With
the need to rebuild the Eisenhower Expressway, we have a rare opportunity to
provide a better quality of life for future generations. The more of us who provide meaningful input
into the planning process, the better the outcome will be. You can download an Issue Brief on this topic
from our web site, www.CitizensForAppropriateTransportation.org.
Rick Kuner May 2010