Time for Chicagoans to whip out their imaginations and get ready for the arrival of Wired Magazine’s NextFest...touching down in Chicago at Navy Pier June 24-26, 2005.

This 3-day celebration of technology and innovation brings with it a futuristic glimpse of the most advanced scientific achievements on the planet. Brought to us by visionary inventors, corporations, and R&D labs around the world, NextFest offers over 100 exhibits of breakthrough technology, interactive installations, and one-of-a-kind design prototypes.

From smart homes to flying cars to brainwave controlled games, Chicago is about to witness first hand the future of communication, design, entertainment, exploration, transportation, health and security. In providing this venue, NextFest walks in the path and spirit of earlier World’s Fairs, bringing together the most influential and creative technological minds on earth.

Sticky cam:Sold in six-packs, these cheap wireless lenses can be stuck on any surface and feed video back to the CanCam. Each contains an integrated digital imager and optics, a printed antenna, and a zinc air battery – all mounted on a flexible bed with an adhesive backing.

Wrist-top hub features: flexible OLED screen thumbprint scanner camera lens navigation and control buttons microphone.

The Kbot is a robotic head that realistically mimics human facial expressions. It is one of many robots being made in the field of human-emulation robotics.Photo: Jen Kaczor

Officials from Wired Magazine hope to keep Chicago as a permanent home for NextFest, rotating yearly between its original starting block in San Francisco and a third stop on the East Coast in 2006…finding its way back to Chicago in 2008.

General Electric is the Presenting Sponsor for the 2nd annual event, with General Motors quickly committing to be the official “Future of Transportation” sponsor this year. It seems likely that hometown giant, Motorola, which played a lead role at the inaugural NextFest 2004 in San Fran, will be chomping at the bit for the the opportunity to strut their best stuff on their home turf.

Day one of NextFest has been named the official “Education Day,” offering free admission to students and educators. These lucky holders of the Golden Wanka Bars will be the first to witness and explore the flying cars, commercial space planes and unmanned aerial vehicles. They’ll be able to try on for size the future warrior battle gear, experience holographic imaging, hypersonic sound beams and even play Harry Potter for a minute or two while wearing the invisibility coats.

With over 30,000 attendees expected on scene, the doors are open for General Admission on Saturday, June 25th and Sunday, June 26th, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For a quick look at last year’s event, visit www.nextfest.net.

Traffic Gridlock: The future doesn't look good

Chicago is the third most congested urban conurbation in North America - not surprising perhaps as we are the third largest city by population. However, as often highlighted in this newsletter but frequently forgotten, we are also the nation’s road and rail freight hub.

Freight traffic is exploding and, what is more, is conservatively forecast to nearly double by 2030. This will overwhelm area roads and railways well within the next 25 years. But action and creative planning now can ease that congestion and help the region retain the jobs and economic benefits of a healthy, efficient freight system.

To give you an example: On Interstate 290 east of I-294, daily truck traffic grew 59% between 1997-2002 to 24,700 but this could double again within 10 years. And you thought the Eisenhower was bad now!

A new report outlining actions needed to prevent gridlock in the truck and rail freight systems in the Chicago area was published late last month by Chicago Metropolis 2020.

The Metropolis Freight Plan: Delivering the Goods* is the first study in many decades that examines the connection between land use and the movement of goods by rail and truck and how it impacts economic development of the region. The plan outlines the steps needed to prevent a meltdown into freight gridlock, and to secure the economic benefits of growing freight traffic.

The Chicago Metropolis 2020 recommendations include:

• A key recommendation is the completion of the $1.5 billion CREATE rail infrastructure improvement program, a 10-year agreement among the region’s leading railroads, the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois to eliminate rail bottlenecks by upgrading antiquated track and signals and modernizing intersections.
• Another significant recommendation is the creation of a Regional Policy Board to prepare and implement a comprehensive regional freight plan that integrates rail, road and other types of transportation with economic development and land use plans. There is currently no regional agency with the scope or authority to plan and implement needed freight system improvements.
• A recommended Regional Policy Board would absorb the functions of the region’s agencies now responsible for development and transportation planning, respectively, the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) and the Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS). It would work in consultation with state, county, municipal, freight industry, business and civic leaders to coordinate regionally significant freight transportation decisions.
• Use barrier-free tolling technology (similar to I-PASS on state tollways) to create a system of user fees and variable pricing on the region’s most congested highways. Variable pricing would provide an economic incentive for truckers and other drivers to use those highways in non-peak periods and reduce rush hour congestion.
• Designate and protect freight centers in the suburbs to ensure that public and private industrial development investments are targeted to those corridors that can most efficiently support new industrial development and minimize freight trips.
• To relieve traffic congestion, the region should maximize the ability of rail to carry more freight. Land should be preserved now for future rail corridors and intermodal terminals where freight can be transferred efficiently from rail to trucks and moved quickly to customers.
• Eliminate gaps in the region’s state-designated truck route network. By directing at least $3 billion of the region’s projected $63 billion in highway spending over the next 25 years to improve and expand more arterial streets, we can reduce delays and prevent unnecessary travel by the widest and heaviest trucks carrying freight to businesses.
• Create county planning organizations, governed by equal partnerships of county and municipal officials, authorized to develop, fund and coordinate implementation of countywide freight plans within each suburban county and designate an efficient system of truck routes.

No one should under-estimate the problems facing us. Where will the money come from and how do we avoid unnecessary delays due to petty self-interest and bureaucratic in-fighting?

The report outlines an eminently sensible route to tackling this problem that will go far to mitigate congestion. However, it will call for an unprecedented level of co-operation among the railroads, truckers, business, the Federal Government, the State, the counties and the 270+ municipalities.

Is this likely? On the face of it – No. Critical Federal funding of $1 billion for the CREATE plan has been stalled in Congress for well over a year. The proposal to create a Regional Planning organization by merging CATS and NIPC is bogged down over who has the right to appoint members to the Board.

The Governor and Legislative leaders need to take control of this critical issue to our future and push hard for a comprehensive solution along the lines of this sensible report.

Our transportation infrastructure is, after our human talent pool, our most competitive advantage in attracting and retaining businesses. The value of goods transported here is over $1 trillion and its contribution to the State’s GDP is major and growing. We cannot afford to ignore this eminently foreseeable crisis and we should act now to safeguard our future prosperity.

* to obtain a copy of the report contact jim.labelle@cm2020.org

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

It's money in your employee's pocket...and it’s easy. The Earned Income Tax Credit is a way to owe less tax and get cash back from the IRS. Even if one doesn't owe income tax, they can get the credit and the cash.

The EITC offers much-needed relief to low-income working families. While helping those families make ends meet, the EITC also infuses millions of dollars into the economy each year.

A family that earns up to $31,388 with one child could get up to $2,604 back from the IRS, while a family that earns up to $35,458 with more than one child could get up to $4,300 back. Individuals who are between 25 and 64 years old, earning up to $12,490, and who have no children may get up to $390 back.

In 2004, the City of Chicago’s 28 free tax preparation sites helped return over $25.7 million to more than 19,000 families.

Mayor Daley launched the EITC awareness campaign five years ago, but there are still thousands of workers eligible to receive the credit. They may be among your workforce.

Chicago’s EITC awareness campaign is underway and there are several ways you can make a difference:

• Notify your employees about the EITC and the availability of the credit by printing information on pay-stubs, displaying posters and distributing materials. Materials can be obtained by calling the Chicago Tax Assistance Center, 312-744-1000.
• Enlist employees to serve as volunteer tax preparers at organizations that help low-income families file for the credit such as the Tax Counseling Project (TCP) 312-252-0280 or the Tax Assistance Program (TAP) 312-466-0771. Both of these centers provide free tax preparation for Chicago residents earning less than $36,000.

For more information about the EITC, the Child Tax Credit or other assistance, please call 311or visit the City of Chicago website at www.cityofchicago.org/CTAC/.

If located outside of Chicago, please call the IRS at 800-829-1040 or visit www.irs.gov.

Chicago by the Numbers

World Business Chicago
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Chicago, Illinois 60601

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