In the third round of TIGER funding, the awardees for which were announced last month, the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) continued a commitment to bicyclist and pedestrian projects.  Of 46 projects chosen for funding, 22 incorporate some aspect of bicycle and pedestrian accessibility, and nine make cyclists or pedestrians the primary beneficiary, according to staff at the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.  Of the $511 million available, more than $64 million went to “Complete Streets” projects.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) received $20 million to repair and improve parts of the Blue Line between downtown and O’Hare Airport and to include Blue Line station areas in the City’s bikeshare program.  The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) received $10,438 to reconstruct two miles of Illinois Route 83 (147th Street) between Kedzie Avenue and Western Avenue/Dixie Highway with a center median, accessible intersections, on-street bicycle facilities, new sidewalks, and bus shelters. The project is designed to improve safety and convenience for automobiles, transit users, pedestrians, and cyclists.