IDOT awards $38 million for local planning grants

Fifty-two grants totaling more than $38 million have been announced by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to support the planning efforts of long-range transportation projects across the state.

New criteria this year provides funding to create economic opportunity and enhance quality of life in disadvantaged communities.

“Under the leadership of Gov. Pritzker, IDOT is committed to building a multimodal network of transportation that provides a safe, reliable experience for all users,” said Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “These grants will help further our goal of making investments backed by strong planning decisions to help communities become even better places to live, work and raise a family.”

Administered by IDOT using federal funds, the grants are designed to advance the objectives of the Illinois Long-Range Transportation Plan. Among the criteria considered were plans that implement asset management strategies and performance-based planning and programming, as well as activities that grow and support economically distressed areas.

Applicants included local and state agencies, metropolitan planning organizations and regional planning commissions. Nonprofit entities with public sponsors also were eligible to apply. Projects include:

Chicago Transit Authority Roadmap for Transit Signal Priority – Creating a plan for more reliable, efficient service by studying transit signal priority at traffic signals.

Champaign County Systemic Safety Evaluation Tool – Developing an interactive map of the local road network to show assessed level of risk for safety incidences.

Havana Regional Port District Port Master Plan – Producing a guide to aid and promote the development of terminal and port facilities.

A full list of grant recipients is available on IDOT’s website.