For Immediate Release – August 11, 2026
Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program application period opens, $157 million available for local projects
Oct. 5 deadline to submit proposals for quality-of-life improvements in communities
Projects eligible for funding through ITEP include biking and walking paths, trails, streetscape beautification work and other improvements designed to encourage safe travel across the various modes of transportation at the local level.
To ensure that communities with the greatest needs can participate, at least 25% of state funding will be used for disadvantaged and economically distressed communities.
Applicants can include local governments and regional planning commissions. Nonprofit and private entities that apply must have a public sponsor. The maximum award is $5 million. For more information, including instructions on how to view and participate in webinars on the application process, visit the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program page.
Applications, which include an online map and scoring system to determine local match requirements and identify high-need communities, must be received by Oct. 5. Awards will be announced next year.
Passed in 2019, Gov. Pritzker’s historic and bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan is investing $33.2 billion into the state’s aging transportation system, creating jobs and promoting economic growth. Rebuild Illinois is not only the largest capital program in state history but also the first one that touches all modes of Illinois transportation: roads and bridges, transit, waterways, freight and passenger rail, aviation, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.
