NIPC's DIGITAL MAP OF THE REGION

The Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) is pleased to announce the availability of the DIGITAL MAP OF THE REGION on CD-ROM. This new product (a) provides the digital elements needed to produce a customized base map, (b) distributes at minimal cost key elements of the NIPC database, and (c) illustrates the importance of the documentation of data resources.

This unique CD-ROM extends the Commission's commitment to provide data and technical tools in support of decision making in the Chicago region. NIPC last prepared a base map in 1982. It was a conventional paper product providing a geographic reference "base" to support analyses and display of assumptions and conclusions. Now with the widespread availability of geographic information system (GIS) technology, these purposes require a digital base. The Commission expects that the the DIGITAL MAP OF THE REGION will address this need.

The contents of the DIGITAL MAP OF THE REGION include ARC/INFO® coverages (spatial data layers), ArcView® shapefiles, map images in Adobe® PDF format, census and other data in DBF format, metadata documenting the spatial files and databases, and software to assist in accessing the contents.

The coverages include:

• A Major Road Centerline File
• An Interstate Centerline File including Interchanges
• Metra and CTA Rail Lines and Stations with Names
• Political Townships and Counties
• Surveyor Townships, Sections and Protracted Quarter Sections
• Chicago Community Areas
• 1997 Municipal Boundaries from the Census Bureau's TIGER Line File
• 1990 Census Tracts
• 1990 Land use Aggregated to 12 Categories
• USGS 7.5 Minute Quadrangle Boundaries

Data files include:

• Census Data for Counties, Municipalities, Townships, Community Areas and Census Tracts
• 1990 Land Use, Population, Household and Employment Data by Surveyor Quarter Section
• NIPC's 1990 and 1995 Employment Estimates by Minor Civil Division
• 1997 Quarter Section Estimates of Development Activity

The map images can be viewed using software included on the CD-ROM. The images include:

• Counties in Illinois
• Northeastern Illinois and Adjacent Counties
• 1990 Land Use
• Counties, Municipalities and Minor Civil Divisions
• Interstate Expressways and Major Roads
• Surveyor Townships, Quarter Sections and Indian Boundaries
• 1990 Census Tracts
• 1990 Open Space and Water
• Interstates, Commuter Rails and Stations, and Airports
• USGS 7.5 Minute Quadrangle Boundaries
• 1995 1"=2000' NIPC Air Photo Index

The DIGITAL MAP OF THE REGION CD-ROM order form is available by clicking here. The cost for each CD-ROM is $45 ($36 for NIPC subscribers) plus $1.50 postage.