News Updates

CMAP’s Safe Travel for All initiative recognized for community engagement award

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) received the Granicus Digital Government Award for Community Engagement for its Safe Travel for All initiative. The initiative is a standout example of inclusive, data-driven regional engagement. 

The Safe Travel for All EngagementHQ hub is customized for each county, with branding, accessible language, and bilingual translations. Among the highlights:

• A survey about how people get around, traffic safety concerns, and safety improvement priorities — with more than 1,300 responses. 
• Safety hotspot maps for each county — community members dropped over 1,800 pins and explained where they’ve experienced unsafe conditions.
• Accessible virtual meetings and in-person engagement, including open houses, community events, forums, and more. 
• Materials to help explain the critical need for improved safety. That includes FAQs, coloring books for youth, photography and video assets, a communications toolkit, and the final action plans. 

CMAP’s first-of-its-kind regional safety initiative achieved a major milestone in 2025. Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties adopted safety action plans. Each county commits to safer roads, passing resolutions in support of this work, grounded in the fundamental approach that traffic-related deaths and serious injuries are preventable. 

The Granicus Digital Government Awards honor government organizations that are leading the way in digital service delivery, operational efficiency, community engagement, and public transparency. CMAP’s honor comes in the community engagement category, demonstrating its commitment to bringing residents and decision-makers together around a shared vision for safer, more equitable streets. 

“The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning stood out for running a regional engagement with remarkable local heart — blending bilingual content, county‑specific hubs, and hotspot mapping to elevate lived experiences into design priorities. Their approach uncovered patterns that traditional meetings often miss, ensuring every county’s unique perspective was represented,” said Jake Sagar, Granicus Vice President of Experience Partners. “What makes this work exceptional is how CMAP transformed thousands of insights into a shared, actionable vision for safer streets. It’s a model of community‑centered planning that brings residents and decision‑makers together around a common purpose.”