Money for transportation projects including new sidewalks and street resurfacing will go to several south and southwest suburbs as part of Cook County’s Invest in Cook grant program.
Calumet Park, Ford Heights and Midlothian are among recipients of $8 million in grant funding, authorities announced at a gathering Friday in Park Forest of local and county officials.
County officials said in order to promote diversity in transportation modes, projects were evaluated and ranked by type. This year, 62% of grant funding is directed toward projects in low- and moderate-income communities, including townships, the county said in a news release.
“Providing better transportation options is part of how my administration is expanding access to opportunities across the county,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in the release. “Invest in Cook continues to aid under-resourced areas while at the same time leveraging other grant funding, with this year having the highest leverage ratio in the program’s history.”
Invest in Cook grants help municipalities further their transportation projects by leveraging additional local, state and federal funds, allowing nearly $42 million in transportation infrastructure engineering and construction to advance, according to the county.
The county said the grants can provide the gap funding required to advance investing in the planning, engineering, right of way acquisition and construction associated with transportation improvements sponsored by local governments and private partners.
The county said 35 projects are being funded and 78 grant applications were evaluated.
In the south and southwest suburbs, the following communities are receiving grants:
• Calumet Park — $350,000 for engineering and construction of green infrastructure and sidewalks
• Evergreen Park — $280,000 for sidewalks
• Ford Heights — $200,000 for engineering on access improvements for Pace bus route 357
• Markham — $220,000 for preliminary design and engineering work for a sidewalk on 167th Street
• Merrionette Park — $190,000 for resurfacing of Troy and Palisades drives.
• Midlothian — $191,000 for engineering on a multiuse path along Natalie Creek
Park Forest — $480,000 for road reconstruction on Forest and Norwood boulevards
• Worth Township — $300,000 for roadway resurfacing. The township includes all or parts of Alsip, Blue Island, Crestwood, Oak Lawn and Robbins.
It is the eighth year Invest in Cook grant funding has been awarded for transportation related projects, and the program has awarded $64.2 million in grants since its inception, according to the county.