Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation awarded more than $139 million in transportation grants for programs that expand local travel options.
Part of the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program, the money will fund 66 projects across the state that encourage safe travel across multiple modes at the local level, including streetscape beautification as well as bike and pedestrian paths and trails, and other transportation methods. The funding was made available during a competitive call for projects with about three quarters of the funding (74 percent) allocated for improvement project in communities that demonstrated financial need.
“The Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program is a crucial part of Rebuild Illinois, helping make travel safer and more accessible in the communities that need it most,” Pritzker said. “Today, I’m proud to announce the largest investment in the program’s history, with more than $139 million going toward bike lanes, sidewalks, trails and other local improvements. This is just one part of the state’s larger effort to reverse decades of disinvestment and create more connected communities.”
Awards included $3million for Chicago Avenue bike and pedestrian improvements in Evanston, $1.3 million to improve the Prairie Fields path in Savoy, and $1.9 million to help close a gap in the regional path and trail system in Granite City.
“Under the leadership of Gov. Pritzker, IDOT is committed to working with communities to improve local mobility options while strengthening the state’s overall transportation network,” Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi said. “We’re proud to support these efforts by our local partners that create new opportunities to connect people with the important places in their lives.”
The ITEP awards are part of the federal and state funds administered by IDOT and are focused on improving surface transportation in various modes that promote a variety of options for getting around communities.
The department received 233 applications for projects worth an estimated $383 million. The next call for projects will be in 2026.
“When people think about where they want to raise their families, it’s projects like these that really move the needle,” state Sen. Paul Faraci (D-Champaign) said. “When communities have complete streets, sidewalks and bike paths they become places people want to live.”