 APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MAY 1
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Lake County Council of Mayors has extended the deadline for STP applications to May 1st, 2020 to allow municipalities to work on mission critical tasks during this challenging time.
The Lake County Council of Mayors has issued a Call for Projects, open from January 30, 2020 through 5:00 pm on March 30, 2020 May 1st, 2020 for new STP projects to be funded in Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2021-2025. Made up of units of local governments located within Lake County, the Lake County Council of Mayors (LCCOM) is one of eleven regional Councils of Mayors in the Chicago metropolitan region that have been delegated STP programming authority. In addition to new projects, LCCOM will grandfather all previously awarded STP projects into the new FFY 2021-2025 Program. If you have questions about the call for projects please contact LCCOM staff.
All Lake County Council of Mayors members are eligible to apply for new projects. Sponsors that are not members of the LCCOM must have a member sponsor for their application.
All of the application materials are available on the LCCOM Website, click here.
At this time, we do not anticipate the development of the LCCOM's FFY2021-2025 STP Program to be delayed, the anticipation is still to have a staff recommended program available in June with a public comment period in July, Council approval in August and CMAP adoption in October of 2020.
Beginning Wednesday, March 18, Lake County's Libertyville campus buildings including the Central Permit Facility, the Division of Transportation, and Public Works will limit in-person interactions between staff and the public while maintaining the full range of customer services that are currently provided. In accordance with the governor’s request for nonessential staff to work from home, LCDOT has begun having some staff work remotely. LCDOT staff are also being advised to limit in-person attendance at external meetings and events and will participate virtually whenever possible.
For the foreseeable future, I will be working from home, however I will be checking my voicemail at the office throughout the day and will be accessible through e-mail as well.
Until we hear otherwise, the assumption is that IDOT will still be holding lettings for projects and so I will be in contact with project sponsors regarding funding agreements as their projects near upcoming due dates. TIP change deadlines and IDOT letting schedule deadlines still need to be met to keep projects on IDOT's lettings.
If you have any questions about LCCOM business I am happy to help and I thank you for your understanding as we all navigate these unusual circumstances.
Mike Klemens
Council Liaison
 News and Information
DECO grants to Support Local Governments in Infrastructure and Economic Development Projects. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) issued three Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) for the following programs:
Public Infrastructure: The State has allocated $50,000,000 in Rebuild Illinois funds to the competitive Public Infrastructure (RIPI) component. A grant ceiling of $5,000,000 per project has been established. Grants for less than $250,000 will not be awarded. The objective of the Rebuild Illinois Public Infrastructure (RIPI) component of the Rebuild Illinois plan is to provide grants funding public infrastructure improvements that can provide an improved foundation for economic growth in Illinois communities. (NOFO | Guidebook) Applications are due June 30, 2020.
Regional Economic Development: The State has allocated $16,500,000 in Rebuild Illinois funds to the competitive Regional Economic Development (RIRED) component. A grant ceiling of $2,000,000 per project has been established. Grants for less than $250,000 will not be awarded. The objective of this program, in keeping with the Governor’s 5-year Economic Development plan, is to provide grants to strengthen local economies and encourage the development of regional industry clusters. (NOFO | Guidebook) No application deadline.
Shovel Ready Sites:The State has allocated $13,000,000 in Rebuild Illinois funds to the competitive Shovel Ready Sites (RISRS) component. A grant ceiling of $2,000,000 per project has been established. Grants for less than $250,000 will not be awarded. The Governor’s Five-Year Economic Development Plan recognizes there are sites across Illinois with great economic development potential that require additional investment in order to become “shovel-ready.” Redevelopment in infill locations can use vacant buildings, parking lots, empty schools, or other underused sites for new amenities and businesses near existing neighborhoods.The purpose is to provide funding for site preparation for underutilized properties that can transform into economic development opportunities across Illinois. (NOFO | Guidebook) No application deadline.
The RTA launched the Access to Transit program in 2012 to seek funding for small-scale capital projects that improve access to the regional transit system for pedestrians and bicyclists. New for 2020, micromobility projects that improve access to transit and Phase I engineering are now eligible project types. Depending on the project type the Access to Transit program uses RTA funding as well as leverages local funds with federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) funding to help implement recommendations from planning studies completed through the RTA’s Community Planning program or the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s (CMAP) Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program. To date, the program has funded 28 projects in communities throughout the region for a total investment of roughly $13 million in Federal, RTA and local funds.
The Call for Projects Opens March 13 and applications are due May 8th.
For More Information and to see the Access to Transit Program Guide, click here
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has two funding opportunities available:
The Illinois Department of Transportation is requesting candidate projects for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) that will be initiated in FY 2022. Applications for this funding program will be received through Friday, May 8th, 2020 at 5:00 PM ET, and announcement of the selected projects for funding will be made during the week of July 27th, 2020.
HSIP has a goal of achieving a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. Fatal and serious injury crashes associated with roadway departures, intersections, and pedestrians are high priority emphasis areas based on the current Illinois Strategic Highway Safety Plan.
Strong consideration will be given to specific safety strategies that offer significant benefit to the reduction of fatal and serious injury crashes. The key is to identify the issue(s) contributing to the fatal and serious injury crashes and how the safety strategy will address these issues.
For more information and application materials, click here.
The US DOT released a Notice of Funding Opportunity for $1 billion in “Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development” or BUILD grants. This is a competitive program for infrastructure projects that will have a significant local or regional impact. Grants will be between $5M and $25M for construction ($1M min. in rural areas), and a 20% non-federal match is required. Highway, bridge, transit, passenger and freight rail, port, and intermodal projects are eligible. Primary selection criteria include improved safety outcomes, state of good repair (improving condition or resilience of existing facilities, economic competitiveness (efficient movement of people and goods), environmental sustainability, quality of life. Secondary criteria include innovation, partnership, and project readiness. No more than $100M will be awarded in any one state. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. EDT on May 18, 2020. Funds must be obligated by Sept. 30, 2022. At least $15M will be awarded for planning, preparation, or design of eligible projects, including environmental analysis and feasibility studies.
More information, including a schedule of information webinars can be found on US DOTs BUILD webpage
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