Port District needs a plan, and we’re working on it

A Dec. 26 editorial, “Does the Port of Chicago have a future? A next door neighbor makes it clear it does” discusses the need for a plan for the Illinois International Port District. It reads, “Better still would be the creation of a master plan for the Port of Chicago. ... Such a plan could direct new, complementary business and industry to the port region, work out land-use issues, and promote better ways — including better mass transit — to connect the Southeast Side to Chicago’s downtown and surrounding communities.”

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning agrees the Port of Chicago plays a vital role in our region. CMAP and IIPD have been working together on a master plan that will provide a clear vision for the future.

We know IIPD is committed to developing and maintaining a world-class port that operates as a modern, economically competitive and sustainable facility, focused on generating and expanding economic activity and creating employment opportunities for residents of Chicago and Illinois. CMAP and its partners developed, and are now implementing, ON TO 2050, the region’s comprehensive plan, which sets a blueprint for a more inclusive, resilient, and thriving future. The completed master plan for the Port of Chicago will help guide future investments that allow IIPD to fulfill its mission of maintaining the economic viability of the Port in an environmentally responsible way.

This planning process is the first of its kind to bring the port, the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Cook County, the City of Chicago and other partners to the table. The planning process is expected to be completed in late 2020 and will include both a preferred development scenario for port lands and key industrial, recreational, community and environmental strategies for it to undertake over the near- and medium-term.

The Chicago region was born from its strength in freight, being a nexus to move the nation’s goods and people via rail, water, and roads. Today, it is estimated that $3 trillion worth of goods move in and out of the region each year. The future of the Port of Chicago is integral to strengthening regional economic competitiveness and maintaining our place as the nation’s preeminent freight hub. By working together to plan for the port’s future, we can recognize its full potential and grow our economy for all.

Erin Aleman, executive director, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning

A grievous omission of disability rights advocate

Leaving activist Marca Bristo off your “most influential” list is a grievous omission. Her obituary, printed in the Sun-Times on Sept. 8, noted that she “rose to become one of the world’s most influential advocates for the rights of disabled people through her Chicago group, Access Living.” The New York Times observed that “her success in reshaping Chicago’s policies for the disabled formed the basis for national and international legislation.” Mayor Lori Lightfoot called her “a fierce advocate for disability rights who changed lives through the nationally recognized nonprofit she founded, @accessliving.”

Bristo left an indelible mark on the world, with a lifetime of service to others that began in Chicago. I am disappointed in the Editorial Board for neglecting to include her.

Margaret McKinley, Berwyn