Evanston will receive nearly $1.5 million in federal funding for a bike path through Northwestern’s campus along Sheridan Road, Gov. Pat Quinn announced Saturday.

The bike path will start on North Campus at Lincoln Street and will run the length of Sheridan Road and Chicago Avenue until it reaches Davis Street. It will connect to existing bike paths on Davis and Church streets. The city has been granted $1,492,400 for the project.

Evanston is among more than 60 communities in Illinois that have been awarded grants for community transportation projects. In total, more than $50 million statewide will be invested in bike paths, walking trails and other projects as part of the initiative, which the governor’s office says will create more than 400 jobs.

“These projects will support hundreds of jobs while preserving our heritage, beautifying communities and creating opportunities for pedestrians, bicyclists and others across Illinois,” Quinn said in a news release. “The projects will help improve the quality of life for everyone, and I commend Senator (Richard) Durbin (D-Ill.) and Illinois’ congressional delegation for fighting for this important community funding.”

The funding was allotted as part of the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program, which funds up to 80 percent of the community transportation projects it selects based on applications.

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