Looptopia, Chicago’s all night artistic and cultural extravaganza begins at 5PM local time in, where else, The Loop! Artists, musicians, theater performances, films, interactive new media and dance performances will be going from sunset to sunrise and beyond in Chicago’s famous downtown district. 14 hours of culture beginning at 5PM and lasting till the sunrise celebration in Millenium Park at 7AM. So if you’re in the Windy City go get your Loop on and revel your way through all the culture Chicago has to offer.

The City of Chicago is also on the verge of making it that much easier, and environmentally sound, to access The Loop during the work week. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has just unveiled a plan to cut down on congestion in the city’s business district by discouraging driving and encouraging Rapid Bus Transit during rush hours. The plan would clean hybrid buses on roads and highways in dedicated bus lanes for fast, efficient commuting. Traffic lights would be programmed to turn green for buses helping them move along faster. Meanwhile cars would be squeezed into fewer lanes to get into the city causing longer, more frustrating drives that would encourage motorists to try rapid transit instead. The plan also causes for putting the squeeze on parking cars by increasing the rates on parking meters in The Loop during peak hours. The City stands to gain a $153 Million Federal Grant to help make the plan a reality. You can by learning more about Chicago’s congestion plan and its benefits for the citizens of Chicago and their environment.