News Updates

Nearly $894 million awarded for road and bridge construction, plus bike, pedestrian, ADA improvements

The Surface Transportation Program (STP) is a federal-aid highway funding program that provides flexible funding states and localities can use for a wide range of transportation projects. Funds are available for road and bridge construction, repair, and rehabilitation, as well as safety improvements, traffic management systems, and transportation planning projects.

Within CMAP’s metropolitan planning organization boundaries in northeastern Illinois, each local Council of Mayors and the City of Chicago administer STP Local funds. Communities that wish to participate in STP Local funding do so through the local call for projects facilitated by their designated subregional council. Projects are evaluated, scored, and awarded funding according to methodology and deadlines set by each council. Funds are programmed on a biannual basis, with some projects awaiting funds on a contingency list.

The local Councils of Mayors and Chicago Department of Transportation most recently conducted calls for federal fiscal year 2025 – 2029 STP Local projects from October 2023 through March 2024. Nearly $894 million was allocated amongst 358 projects from 96 project sponsors across the 7 counties in the region. Some highlights include:

• 97 percent of the programmed funding is for construction and construction engineering.
• Most of the projects (80 percent) and funding (62 percent) are primarily focused on roadway maintenance and modernization. Nearly all these projects include bicycle, pedestrian, and ADA infrastructure improvements.
• Over 5 percent of the projects are primarily focused on bicycle and pedestrian improvements, using only 1.4 percent of the programmed funding.

CMAP prepared snapshot summaries for projects and investments by council. Click on the respective council name below to learn more:

• Central Council
• DuPage Council
• Kane/Kendall Council of Mayors STP
• Lake Council
• McHenry Council
• North Central Council
• North Shore Council
• Northwest Council
• South Council
• Southwest Council
• Will Council
• City of Chicago

The next call for STP Local projects is expected in October 2025. Sign up for the transportation newsletter to learn when it opens.