When he took office last year, Rahm Emmanuel inherited a city in which a sheen of new projects hid a crumbling infrastructure. With a laundry list of initiatives, the mayor is intent on retaining the city's place amongst the world's great cities.
The capital of the Midwest for over a century, Chicago has been showing signs of its age for decades now. A much-needed face-lift is in order. Fortunately, Mayor Rahm Emmanuel has made modernizing the city a priority. As Ed Pilkington of The Guardian reports, "[o]ver the next three years Emanuel will pump $7bn to bring the ageing city up to scratch."
The mayor's list of improvements include, "a massive upgrading of the underground water infrastructure, two new runways at O'Hare airport, an overhaul of subway stations, $660m investment in public schools, a rapid-transit bus system in the centre of the city and the first steps towards making Chicago the most bike-friendly city in the world." Perhaps most interesting is the plan to make all of downtown Chicago completely wireless, giving the city, already as the "broadband backbone of America..., a huge strategic advantage."
As cities increasingly face international competition, Emmanuel centers much of his ambition on rejuvenating what he calls "the most American of American cities."
"Should Emanuel succeed in implementing even a portion of his ambitions," writes Pilkington, "he will have written himself into the history books as one of a new generation of activist mayors grabbing American cities by the lapels and giving them a good shake."
FULL STORY: Chicago to get hyper-connected under Rahm Emanuel's grand Wi-Fi plan
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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