Governor Announces Grants for Illinois Tomorrow Projects

SPRINGFIELD--Governor George H. Ryan today announced the award of $3.8 million in grants for 29 communities across the state to help them develop plans for future growth that will protect and improve the quality of life.

The grants are from the Illinois Tomorrow Corridor Planning Grant program, created by Governor Ryan to promote planning at the local level that integrates land development, transportation, and infrastructure needs.

"These projects are all excellent examples of private and public sectors working together for the long range public interest and improved quality of life in our communities," Governor Ryan said. "The recipients have put into practice the Illinois Tomorrow principles that my administration has promoted."

The Illinois Tomorrow initiative is a five-year, $15 million program to ensure that state and local programs that affect growth are implemented effectively, and to investigate new solutions to problems facing communities. These problems can include traffic congestion, loss of open space and farmland, environmental quality, urban infrastructure needs, and fragmented local planning.

The projects that will receive grants are:

NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS

• Arlington Heights, $250,000 -- This project will define and quantify corridor planning standards for mobility, connectivity, efficiency, and safety to support development of alternatives by transportation agencies, and selection of a preferred alternative by corridor communities.

• Beecher, $150,000 - This project will develop a regional planning area in the area around the planned South Suburban Airport, and will address issues such as commuter access to the rest of the Chicago region, high-speed rail, and the Illiana Expressway.

• Cary, $50,000 - East US 14 Corridor Plan. This project will incorporate the East US 14 corridor plan into the 1992 comprehensive plan and will integrate the recently completed pedestrian/bike plan.

• Chicago DOT, $250,000 - This study will define and evaluate long-term rail and bus alternatives to serve the north side of Chicago in view of existing and future lane uses.

• Downers Grove, $49,420 - This project will create a tool that will direct the public and private redevelopment of the Ogden Avenue corridor.

• Ford Heights, $50,000 - The project will identify and develop a master plan for a "Freedom Trail" looking at the heritage of the Underground Railroad and African American settlement south of Chicago.

• La Grange, $50,000 - The village will develop a comprehensive plan to stimulate the under-performing business area of the west end business district, and to manage its redevelopment.

• Oak Park, $250,000 -- This project will update and expand a 1987 air rights study that considered the feasibility of capping a portion of I-290 (Eisenhower Expressway) that runs through Oak Park.

• Rolling Meadows, $54,000 - This study will investigate opportunities for improvements in the Illinois 58 corridor.

• South Holland, $300,000 - This project will analyze local land use opportunities along the South Suburban Commuter Rail Corridor.

• Tinley Park, $325,000 -- This study will build on the recently completed Chicago Southland Tomorrow Corridor Initiative which examined transportation initiatives in the south suburbs.

• Vernon Hills, $100,000 - The village will examine redevelopment opportunities around the intersection of US 45 and Illinois 21.

• Villa Park, $50,000 - This project will analyze opportunities in the Illinois 38 corridor for pedestrian improvements.

• Wilmette, $50,000 - This study will develop a comprehensive plan for Green Bay Road, which will be an amendment to the village's comprehensive plan.

• Woodstock, $88,000 - This study will develop a comprehensive, uniform, conservation-designed plan for growth in the Illinois 47/Kishwaukee River corridor.

DOWNSTATE

• Belleville, $44,000 - This study will examine the opportunities associated with revitalizing the Main Street Corridor, and the areas immediately adjacent to East and West Main Streets.

• Decatur, $160,000 - This project will study revitalization opportunities along portions of the state route corridors.

• Machesney Park, $50,000 -This study will expand on the Illinois 173 Access Plan by integrating the access plan with the village's comprehensive plan and the Rock Cut Hills annexation.

• Madison County, $150,000 -- The project will develop a transportation and strategic development/growth management plan for that portion of I-55 in Madison County.

• Moline, $50,000 - This project will provide a land use/transportation study that will be a blueprint for a multi-modal transit corridor, which can be added to the city's new comprehensive plan.

• Normal, $80,000 - This project will develop a comprehensive study to determine the impacts of growth in McLean County.

• Peoria County Highway Department, $100,000 - This study would identify a feasible multi-community corridor for a relocation and/or extension of Illinois 9 from the Illinois River north and west to Airport Road.

• Savoy, $150,000 - This study would consider land use and transportation issues in the south central part of Champaign County with the goal of promoting local development that considers interconnectivity of land uses and transportation networks.

• Springfield, $200,000 - The study will evaluate the Third Street (Union Pacific), Tenth Street (Norfolk Southern), and Nineteenth Street (C&IM) corridors to explore options of consolidating them into a unified corridor.

• Urbana, $150,000 - To develop a long-range transportation plan for the Illinois 130 corridor.

• Washington, $50,000 - This plan will examine access to existing and potential commercial sites along Business 24, as well as the existing multiple commercial access points.

• Winnebago County, $100,000 - This project will produce a comprehensive plan for land use, transportation, and infrastructure in the growth areas around local municipalities.