The Canadian National Gateway Intermodal Terminal, which in the coming years will increase its capacity, giving the Green TIME Zone the best access to international markets in the region.

Forty-two municipalities in Chicago’s south suburbs have been awarded $2.3 million in federal funds to implement a revitalization strategy that will make better use of the region’s established rail infrastructure to attract jobs and foster smart growth. The award is part of $40 million in competitive grants made possible by the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Sustainable Community Challenge Grant program.

The initiatives funded by the Sustainable Community Challenge grant are part of a larger multi-jurisdictional strategy known as the Chicago Southland Green TIME (Transit, Intermodal, Manufacturing, Environment) Zone, which emphasizes development around transit, intermodal freight industries, green manufacturing and environmental stewardship.The comprehensive plan is a culmination of years of work among institutions and organizations throughout the region. The Green TIME Zone strategy aims to attract 13,000 jobs and $2.3 billion in new income to the area over the next 10 years.

As a long-term strategic partner of the South Suburban Mayor and Mangers Association (SSMMA), CNT hopes that this plan can serve as a model for redeveloping communities across the country. “The south suburbs are poised to thrive in a green economy—with its skilled workforce, transportation infrastructure and proximity to Chicago and international freight hubs,” said Scott Bernstein, President of CNT.

To support SSMMA’s initiative, in 2009 CNT conducted a preliminary analysis of the potential for transit-oriented development (TOD) in 42 existing and proposed Metra stations in the Green TIME Zone. Making Smart Choices was the product of more than two years of work on TOD issues in the south suburbs. This report laid the groundwork for the Chicago Southland Transit Corridor Development Plan, funded by Chicago’s Regional Transportation Authority, which will lay out a regional vision for TOD.

A report detailing the Southland Green TIME Zone’s comprehensive sustainable development strategies is now available here.

Read the full press release >>

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