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Northeastern Illinois awarded $5 million grant to improve traffic safety
Major federal grant will fund Safe Travel for All Roadmap (STAR) program and address sharp rise in traffic deaths, particularly among pedestrians and bicyclists
A comprehensive program to improve traffic safety in northeastern Illinois has been awarded a major federal grant.
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the award this week in response to a joint application submitted by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) in partnership with six of the region’s counties.
The total investment is nearly $5 million, including $3.9 million in federal funding through the new Safe Streets and Roads for All discretionary grant program and nearly $1 million in local matches from IDOT and the counties.
The grant will fund a comprehensive, regional program called the Safe Travel for All Roadmap (STAR) program, which will provide a framework for safety research and programs to make northeastern Illinois safer for all travelers.
The program will provide technical assistance to six counties in our region to develop county-wide safety action plans. These plans will enable the counties and their municipalities to meet eligibility requirements to apply for federal implementation grants.
“We are thrilled that this significant new funding will enable us to address one of northeastern Illinois’ most pressing issues,” CMAP Executive Director Erin Aleman said. “STAR will be transformative for the safety of everyone in our region, especially our most vulnerable travelers. We look forward to working with our partners to make critical improvements in our communities and save lives.”
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New resource page to improve safety in your community
CMAP's new resource page provides essential information about the STAR program and what it means for northeastern Illinois. The page also features funding opportunities, news, data, educational tools, and more.
We look forward to sharing more safety resources as we continue to develop the program.
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Call for projects: Communities can apply now for transportation project funding
To help realize the regional principles of ON TO 2050 and help communities prosper, CMAP is currently accepting funding applications for surface transportation projects.
The call for projects opened January 17, and it lasts through Friday, March 10.
These programs can help fund projects that improve safety, transit, and bicycle or pedestrian facilities. They also help address freight and traffic movement, repair bridges, reconstruct roads, and invest in alternative fuel vehicles and equipment.
Funding for these projects will be distributed through the federal sources that CMAP manages, including the regional Surface Transportation Program Shared Fund, the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, the locally programmed Transportation Alternatives Program, and the new Carbon Reduction Program.
The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) means more money is available for programming these funds. IIJA also created the Carbon Reduction Program, which provides another funding source for projects designed to reduce transportation emissions.
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