 Kane County Hosts 2 nd Annual Leaders Summit
Event showcases the county's digital infrastructure
In the second installment of an annual conference series, the Kane County Leaders Summit gathered over 260 policymakers and business representatives to discuss the importance of high capacity digital infrastructure for businesses and other enterprises reliant upon data technology. The county debuted a new website showcasing its 47-mile corridor of fiber optic cable and the service providers that the county has partnered with to help citizens and organizations meet their digital needs.
The May 27th event's keynote speaker, Michael Burke, who chaired the Kansas City "Launch KC" initiative, discussed the importance of such high speed data infrastructure for catalyzing technology-centered economic development. "Imagine if you built a new subdivision and you said, 'We have everything you need except electricity.' That's what you're saying if you don't have this type of service," said Michael who discussed the fiber-optic innovations that have transformed Kansas City to one of the top digital cities in America.
The cable network is infrastructure Kane County built along with its transportation system - and it has capacity far beyond what Kane County needs. By connecting to that network, businesses, school districts or library districts can save thousands and even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
For more information about how your organization can tap into Kane County's fiber optic system, visit the network webpage, or call 630-762-2060. To learn more about organizations that have benefited from the Kane fiber network, check out this article in Kane County Connects.
|
Carpentersville Considers Improvements to Old Town Intersection
Health Impact Assessment evaluates design alternatives
In February the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning released a report evaluating the health and safety implications of alternative design improvements to the intersection of Main and Washington in the Village of Carpentersville. The intersection experiences prolonged backups and congestion, particularly during peak travel hours. Village officials sought input through CMAP's Local Technical Assistance program, in partnership with Kane County, to conduct a Health Impact Assessment of the project area. A Health Impact Assessment or HIA is an evaluation process for identifying and mitigating negative health outcomes associated with a particular policy or action.
The study considered the potential health impacts of two design alternatives: a single-lane roundabout and a signalized intersection. The project team organized a series of core stakeholder and public outreach activities to determine the concerns of various affected users of the intersection. Participants included pedestrians, cyclists, drivers as well as neighboring residents and employees.
The project team conducted independent research to evaluate health and safety related outcomes associated with roundabout and signalized intersection designs. Findings from the study indicate that a single lane roundabout would provide better health and safety outcomes for users, particularly due to lower vehicle speeds and a reduction in the number of conflict points between motorists and pedestrians/cyclists. The report provided a set of additional design recommendations to be considered with either design alternative that would improve pedestrian crossings, manage vehicle speeds and enhance active transportation infrastructure. The Village of Carpentersville is currently working with engineering firm HR Green to further evaluate design alternatives for the intersection of Main and Washington. In December, HR Green presented design renderings and discussed alternatives during a meeting of the Village Trustees.
|
Kane County Recycling Extravaganza
900 Cars served and 20 tons of material collected in 4 hours
Though electronics were not on the list of items being accepted at the Annual Recycling Extravaganza, it was still a very well attended event, with 900 cars served over the four hours on Saturday June 11th.
The extravaganza included document shredding, and accepted for recycling: bicycles, books, 4-foot florescent tubes, mobility devices such as walkers and wheelchairs, and packing material including Styrofoam, packing peanuts and bubble wrap, and liquid latex paint. Over all, residents brought in over 20 tons of material for recycling or reuse! - Accurate Document Shredding shredded 3 trucks full of confidential documents.
- Chicago Logistic Services collected 460 cubic feet of Styrofoam and packing materials such as bubble wrap and packing peanuts.
- Earth Paint Collection Systems collected over 600 cans of liquid latex paint, which will be reused or repurposed into plastic latex products such as new
 5 gallon paint buckets. - Fluorecycle, Inc. will process the 1000s of fluorescent tubes collected for proper disposal.
- Pacesetter Books collected 8,830 pounds of books for reuse and recycling, of which Illinois Youth Center took about 200 pounds of books for reuse.
- Working Bikes collected: 10 bikes, 7 helmets, 3 pairs of crutches, 3 wheel chairs, 4 sewing machines.
Thank you to all of the volunteers and also to the partners who provided excellent service! Questions? Contact Jennifer Jarland, Kane County Recycling Coordinator at recycle@countyofkane.org, or 630-208-3841.
|
| Partners for Places Grant Opportunity
Application deadline is July 25th, 2016
A successful matching grant program, Partners for Places creates opportunities for cities and counties in the United States and Canada to improve communities by building partnerships between local government sustainability offices and place-based foundations.
 |
| |
Appleton, Wis., awarded $60,000 to transform a former 70-acre private golf course into a community-based urban farm, park, and job-training program.
|
National funders invest in local projects to promote a healthy environment, a strong economy, and well-being of all residents. Through these projects, Partners for Places fosters long-term relationships that make our urban areas more prosperous, livable, and vibrant. The grant program will provide partnership investments between $25,000 and $75,000 for one year projects, or $50,000 and $150,000 for two year projects, with a 1:1 match required by one or more local foundations. The Funders' Network is a membership organization that helps grantmakers across North America advance strategies to create fair, prosperous, and sustainable regions and communities that offer everyone the chance for a good life. The suite of tools available to funders - investing, grantmaking, collaborating, convening, facilitating, and more - uniquely position them to lead the movement for smarter growth policies and practices that benefit both places and people.
|
|
