SSMMA invites its members to comment on CMAP’s STP Shared Fund program and encourages municipalities to provide input to protect important south suburban projects that are slated for funding. SSMMA supports CMAP’s inclusive, robust process to evaluate projects for funding that was developed with regional consensus. Following a thorough review, several South Council projects have been recommended for programming over the next four years. They include:
Homewood Metra Station Reconstruction: $9,250,212
Burnham Avenue Grade Separation: $3,800,000
Joe Orr Road Extension: $2,500,000
University Park Metra Reconstruction: $2,500,000
Cottage Grove Avenue Grade Separation (Dolton) $2,000,000
But these projects may be at risk. At the July CMAP meeting, the Project Selection Committee authorized release of the staff recommended program for public comment that includes a new request for feedback on a proposal that would allow for partial funding of project applications. SSMMA does not support this as it deviates from the consensus process for selection of STP Shared Fund projects. Moreover, if partial funding is allowed, all five of our projects listed above will likely be ousted or pushed down the list of recommended projects and not funded.
Tell CMAP that it should not consider changing the rules developed for the STP Shared Fund to allow for consideration of partially funded projects at this time. This would introduce a change in the way projects are evaluated AFTER the application deadline. As this is the first year of the STP Shared Fund, there will be opportunities in the future to consider changes to the program, including allowing partial funding, after more regional dialog and assessment.
From the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning: CMAP is proposing three programs of projects funded by the regional Surface Transportation Program (STP) Shared Fund, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, and locally programmed Transportation Alternatives Program. CMAP welcomes comments from the public on the proposed projects through Friday, August 16, 2019. The STP Project Selection Committee is also requesting comments on the process used to develop the STP Shared Fund program, including consideration for partially funding projects. Learn more about the projects and how to comment at https://cmap.is/2019callforprojects.
A related story, Homewood asks residents to email officials for train station funding, is in the Homewood-Flossmoor Chronicle.