CMAP’s Board and MPO Policy Committee vote to approve 60 projects

On October 14, CMAP’s Board and MPO Policy Committee voted to approve 60 projects that will share $301.8 million to reduce congestion, improve air quality, and enhance non-motorized travel in the seven-county region.  Read the press release. The federal dollars are allocated through competitive processes that CMAP administers for the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program and the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP).  CMAQ provides transportation funding for areas that do not meet federal air-quality standards, and TAP was created in 2012 to provide non-motorized transportation funding.  During this year’s cycle, CMAP evaluated 118 applications requesting over $631 million.  See the full list of new CMAQand TAP projects.

Congratulations to Chicago Heights, Midlothian and Richton Park for their project recommendations. See the full list of 2016 LTA projects descriptions here.

Sponsor: City of Chicago Heights Project: Zoning code update Description: Develop a zoning code update that will facilitate implementation of the recently adopted Chicago Heights Comprehensive Plan, created with CMAP. The plan recommended updating the city’s Zoning Ordinance, which was last done in 1998.

Sponsor: Village of Midlothian Project: 147th Street corridor study Description: Midlothian seeks assistance with a corridor plan for 147th Street (IL 83), focusing on stormwater management and placemaking. A 2011 Active Transportation Plan called for 147th Street to be a Complete Street, and a 2013 Green Infrastructure Plan suggests green infrastructure improvements around the train station on the street.

Sponsor: Village of Richton Park Project: Stormwater management plan Description: Develop a stormwater management plan to coincide with the recently completed (2014) Comprehensive Plan for Richton Park. There is a history of major flooding in the Village, and previous grants have addressed some flooding issues but not in all areas of the Village. The plan should focus in the growth area near I-57, with a recently established industrial park and approval of two new residential communities. Large commercial projects (a new Wal-Mart Supercenter has been approved immediately west of I-57) will create additional development interest in the area, leading to increased traffic. The Village needs a comprehensive stormwater management plan to assess and determine stormwater runoff needs and proper infrastructure placement.

CMAP also selected a number of interjurisdictional programs this year. Palos Park and the Cook County Forest Preserves will improve local trail connections at the western end of the Cal-Sag Trail, a recently opened recreational trail that received funding through the CMAP Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program.