Despite decades of "steady improvement", Chicago is still home to some of the dirtiest waterways in the country. Now after years of obfuscation, the city's Metropolitan Water Reclamation District is finally moving forward with cleanup plans.
Michael Hawthorne reports on the rapid change of course for the agency that handles Cook County's sewage and stormwater, after years spent challenging cleanup initiatives.
With a new executive director, David St. Pierre, in place, the District is moving forward with plans to disinfect human and industrial wastewater. It is the only major U.S. city that skips this treatment step, "largely because officials assumed nobody would want to come near rivers that carry wastewater away from Lake Michigan," according to Hawthorne.
Now, as mayor Rahm Emanuel emphasizes the importance of the city's "recreational frontiers", and others seek to use the city's waterways and redevelop properties adjacent to them, the District has agreed to upgrade its treatment plants, with a healthy nudge from the federal government.
"The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District said installing equipment to kill the germs in partially treated sewage will cost $139 million, about 7 times less than the $1 billion that top district officials once said it would require and half as much as they later argued it would take to disinfect the wastewater."
FULL STORY: No tax hike needed to clean up Chicago River, water agency says
Seattle Legalizes Co-Living
A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.
NYC Officials Announce Broadway Pedestrianization Project
Two blocks of the marquee street will become mostly car-free public spaces.
Denver's New High-Rise Integrates Vertical Canyon in Architectural Design
Unlike other new builds in Denver, Colorado, a new high-rise reveals a unique “sculptural canyon” running vertically through the facade to foster a sense of community and connection to nature.
Federal Resilience Program a Lifeline for Affordable Housing Providers
The little-known Green and Resilient Retrofit Program funds upgrades and repairs that improve efficiency and comfort in existing housing stock.
Fort Worth To Relaunch Bike Share System in January
Trinity Metro shuttered its current system at the end of November and plans to relaunch with a mostly-electric system.
A Brief History of Kansas City’s Microtransit
The city’s costly experiment with on-demand transit is yielding to more strategic investment.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Village of Glen Ellyn
American Planning Association, Sustainable Communities Division
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners