Evanston will receive $3 million in Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program funding to provide bike lane and pedestrian safety improvements on Chicago Avenue, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced Wednesday.
The Chicago Avenue project is one of 66 proposals that were awarded funding, with projects ranging from transit improvements to beautification and preservation efforts. The Chicago Avenue Multimodal Corridor Improvements received the maximum possible award, and IDOT announced a total award of $139 million across all projects.
On the corner of Chicago Avenue and Davis Street, Acting IDOT Secretary Gia Biagi announced the project funding at a Wednesday morning news conference.
“Projects like this here and all around the state are what we care so much about at IDOT, which is, how do you get from where you are to that meaningful destination in your life?” Biagi said. “It’s our job to help you get there and help you get there safely, and to make sure that in getting there, it’s a great experience.”
In a Wednesday news release, Gov. JB Pritzker called the funding allocation the “largest investment in (ITEP) history.” He added that the effort aimed to “reverse decades of disinvestment” and connect communities across the state.
Also in the news release, Illinois House Majority Leader and State Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston) praised the project’s potential health and environmental benefits.
“Smart use of tax dollars will help our community thrive as we build a future powered by clean energy and sustainable living, and I’m happy to see practical progress like this,” Gabel said.
The city is planning to construct the project in 2027 and 2028. It is hoping to receive $16 million total for the project and is also seeking a federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program grant that could provide more than $11 million, project manager Sat Nagar said at the news conference Wednesday.
Ald. Shawn Iles (3rd) and City Engineer Lara Biggs also spoke at the conference, highlighting the project’s local impacts.
Iles said the improvements will keep K-12 students safer as they commute to and from school. He added that cyclists often stop by local businesses, meaning the project could draw customers to Chicago Avenue storefronts.
The project will also make the street safer for pedestrians and cyclists, Biggs said, while broadening access to public transit systems and expanding parking for local businesses.
She added that the project was the result of community feedback and support from elected officials.
“These projects don’t happen in a vacuum,” Biggs said. “Without the community, without the residents and the businesses, we can never develop something like this.”
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