News Updates

CMAP’s 2025-2026 Advocacy Agenda details policy positions and priorities that will guide the region

In 2025, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) will mark its 20th anniversary. Over these two decades, we have worked with our federal, state, and local partners to make northeastern Illinois a stronger, more resilient place to live.

Northeastern Illinois remains one of the world’s greatest economic centers with a diverse workforce, vast multimodal transportation system, and abundant natural resources. Yet, the region faces challenges from the need to adequately fund transportation, a changing climate, and an increasingly competitive global economy with starker economic disparities.

CMAP’s 2025-2026 Advocacy Agenda details policy positions and priorities that can help the region address challenges, seize opportunities, and continue to thrive. Legislative priorities, at both the federal and state levels, detailed in the agenda include:

• Securing a dedicated annual appropriation from the state to support a wider range of technical assistance offerings — the region’s cities, villages, and counties will benefit for years to come with a modest investment in CMAP
• Sustainably funding transportation
• Developing stronger policies that enhance climate resilience and reduce emissions and congestion
• Increasing opportunities for comprehensive planning and economic development
• And more, with actionable steps, found in the latest agenda