CMAP Creates Animated Map To Highlight Need For Improved Transportation Infrastructure
(CBS) -- Chicago regional planners have devised a new animated map which they hope will convince lawmakers to ease up on the purse strings and start building and rebuilding bridges, roads and rail facilities to meet transit needs of next century.
Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning spokesman Tom Garritano says clicking into the bridges section on the CMAP website shows the thousands of bridges around Chicago and the 300 plus listed by the Feds as deficient and in need of some work.
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He says there have been some progress and the percentage of deficient bridges has dropped from 13.5 to around 10 percent. He says that's a sizeable victory but only partial since CMAP believes that deficiency number must be reduced to 4 percent to ensure safe transit for all.
He says the computer map will show congestion times on roadways which are beginning to need replacing.
According to Garritano, CMAP says if Chicagoland is to remain a viable region, it will have to make improvements listed on this new animated map.
Garritano says CMAP believes low gas prices make this a good time to raise gas taxes for future transit projects. He says CMAP believes the current 19 cent a-gallon motor fuel tax should be raised by 8 cents a gallon to 27 cents a gallon.
He also says CMAP believes the gas tax should ultimately be phased out and replaced by congestion pricing -- tolls to use roads at congested times of the day.
Visit www.cmap.illinois.gov/mobility/explore#/ to view the graphic.
