The Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act provides a suballocation of Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funding to the CMAP urbanized area from funds apportioned to the State of Illinois for a broad range of eligible transportation projects. Due in part to the broad project eligibilities, historic practices, and differing subregional emphases on the individual priorities of ON TO 2050, the MPO Policy Committee has delegated STP programming authority to the regional Councils of Mayors and City of Chicago. 

The distribution of funding and programming procedures are outlined in an agreement between the Council of Mayors and City of Chicago that was updated and endorsed by the MPO Policy Committee on October 11, 2017. This agreement established a shared fund for accomplishing large regional projects, and made changes to the local council and City of Chicago distribution of funding and programming methodologies to place more emphasis on Performance-Based Programming decisions and accomplishment of the goals of ON TO 2050.

An STP Project Selection Committee is also called for in the agreement. The committee meets as needed to establish and manage the STP Shared Fund methodology and program.  On February 9, 2023, the committee approved revised STP Active Program Management Policies. To ensure that all communities within the region have reasonable access to federal funds without an undue burden caused by lack of resources for required local matching funds, on November 28, 2018, the committee approved a Policy for the use of TDCH for STP funded projects.

The shared fund was established for the purpose of supporting larger-scale regional projects that address regional performance measures and the goals of ON TO 2050. The programming authority distributed to the shared fund is derived from a set-aside of the region’s annual allotment of STP-L funds. Project selection is a region-wide competitive process overseen by the STP Project Selection Committee.

Project eligibility is focused on projects of significant cost and multi-jurisdictional projects in eight categories that address federal performance measures and priorities of ON TO 2050: bicycle and pedestrian barrier elimination, bus speed improvements, bridge rehabilitation or reconstruction, highway/rail grade crossing improvements, road reconstruction, road expansion, corridor or small area safety, transit station, yard, and terminal improvements (including bicycle and pedestrian access to stations), and truck route improvements. Evaluation criteria are intended to emphasize the desire to bring projects to completion, address needs with cost-effective improvements, and implement planning factors that are an integral part of ON TO 2050, while also considering local preferences at the subregional level.

The current FFY 2024 - 2028 active program and contingency program were approved by the CMAP Board and MPO Policy Committee on October 11, 2023.  The most recent status of both the active and contingency programs are below.

STP Shared Fund Status Reports - October 2023

• Active Program (November)
• Contingency Program (currently being confirmed by sponsors)

Regional Accounting Summaries

In order for all councils and the Shared Fund to be able to make the best active reprogramming choices, an accounting of available, programmed, and obligated funds is maintained for the region.  This accounting also includes actual and projected redistribution of unobligated funds and the use of those funds by councils and shared fund projects. This accounting is updated continuously and will be published at least quarterly and at key active program management action points, such as when obligation deadline extensions are considered each spring.

• October 2023
• August 2023
• July 2023
• April 2023
• February 2023
• October 2022
• October 2021

Application summaries, evaluation results, public comment and other program development information for the FFY 2024 - 2028 program is available on the call for projects web page.  FFY 2022 - 2026 and FFY 2020 - 2024 program information is available in the program development history section below.

STP Shared Fund Resources

Active Program Management Policies (Revised 02/09/2023)

Project Manager Designation Form (Word | PDF)

STP Shared Fund Contingency Program Confirmation Form (Word | PDF)

STP Shared Fund Schedule Change Request Form (Word)

Quarterly Status Update Form for projects processed through IDOT and FHWA (Excel) Revised January 2023

Quarterly Status Update Form for projects processed through FTA (Excel) Updated January 2023

Quarterly Status Update Form Instructions (PDF) Revised January 2023

Each local Council of Mayors and the City of Chicago administer an STP local program according to locally established methodologies. Local agencies that wish to participate in the STP local program must do so through their designated subregional council, according to the methodology of that council. Every local methodology includes regional planning factors and must be administered according to the region’s Active Program Management policies. Links to the methodologies and current programs are provided below.

In October 2022, the MPO Policy committee approved the councils' FFY 2023 - 2027 local programs.  More information about the individual councils' programs can be obtained by visiting the council website or emailing the listed contact. 

From October 2023 through March 2024, the local councils and CDOT will be conducting calls for FFY 2025 - 2029 local STP projects.  The application dates and procedures vary by council and are detailed on the individual council websites below.  Questions should be directed to the listed contact for each council.

City of Chicago (contact: Grant Davis)

FFY 2023 - 2027 Active and Contingency programs

CDOT STP Project Selection Guidelines and Scoring Criteria (January 2022)

Central Council (contact: Michael Fricano)

See: WCMC Transportation web page

DuPage Council (contact: Matt Pasquini)

See: DMMC STP web page

Kane/Kendall Council (contact: Heidi Lichtenberger)

See:  KKCOM STP Program web page

Lake Council (contact: Mike Klemens)

See: Lake Council web page

McHenry Council (contact: Drew Duffin)

See: STP Program web page

North Central Council (contact: Len Cannata)

See: WCMC Transportation web page

North Shore Council (contact: Brian Larson)

See: North Shore Current Program and Methodology web page

Northwest Council (contact: Eric Czarnota)

See: Northwest Current Program and Methodology web page

South Council (contact: Leslie Rauer)

See:  South STP web page

Southwest Council (contact: Brittany Matyas)

See:  Southwest STP 2023 - 2027 Program and Call For Projects web pages

Will Council (contact: Jada Porter)

See: STP-L Resources web page

Local Calls for Projects Resources:

eTIP User Guide

Active Program Management Policies

On December 27, 2020, Title IV of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) was enacted. As detailed in IDOT Circular Letter 2021-13, this Act included a local government component that resulted in the allocation of $42,647,247 to be programmed and managed by CMAP. The federal requirements for the use of these funds is similar to the requirements for STP funds, therefore CMAP has distributed programming authority to the region’s councils of mayors, CDOT, and the STP Project Selection Committee utilizing the same performance-based distribution formula that is used for STP funding.

CMAP also developed the guidance linked below for selecting individual projects to be funded with CRRSAA and for actively managing these projects. In order to maximize the impact of these funds on the region’s recovery from the Coronavirus pandemic and ensure that funds are obligated prior to sunsetting, project selection balanced consideration of the amount of funds available, project readiness, and implementation of projects that have a meaningful innovation, equity and safety impact on the region’s ongoing recovery efforts.  Selected projects were advanced from existing STP programs into the current federal fiscal year. Existing methodologies for determining project eligibility and programming limits were followed with reliance on the region's strong active program management policies and procedures to ensure timely obligation of these limited funds.

FFY 2022 Regional and Local CRRSAA Program (Updated 11/29/21)

Regional CRRSAA Program Status Report - July 2023

CRRSAA Regional Accounting Summary - July 2023

CRRSAA Resources

Guidance for the Programming and Active Program Management of CRRSAA funds

Project Manager Designation Form (Word | PDF)

Quarterly Status Update Form for projects processed through IDOT and FHWA (Excel)

Quarterly Status Update Form Instructions (PDF)

FFY 2024-2028 STP Programming Marks
The programming marks for the shared fund, councils, and CDOT were issued on March 6, 2023 and will be effective from October 1, 2023 - September 30, 2024.

FFY 2023-2027 STP Programming Marks
The programming marks for the shared fund, councils and CDOT were issued on March 21, 2022, and are effective from October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2023.

FFY 2022-2026 Local STP and Local CRRSAA Programming Marks
The programming marks for councils and CDOT were updated on August 18, 2021.

IDOT Letting Schedule
The current IDOT letting schedule (updated 8/9/21) includes the federal authorization dates for projects.  

Federal Aid Designation
CMAP has prepared a workbook to assist municipalities and council of mayors in having a route redesignated to obtain federal aid eligibility status. This workbook and other federal-aid route information is available by clicking here.

APM Clarification and Guidance
February 22, 2021: Active Program Management clarification and guidance for considering cost increases on STP-Local projects let or authorized between October 1, 2017 and September 30, 2020.  (PDF)

Next Steps Guidance

CMAP has prepared guidance for sponsors about the next steps for implementing federally-funded projects following the award of funding.  

• Preliminary and design engineering
• Right of way acquisition
• Construction and construction engineering

FFY 2022 - 2026 STP Shared Fund Program Development

Listing of applications received (March 2021)

Scoring:

• Final Scores (PDF | Excel)
• Final Draft Scores
• Preliminary Scores - sorted by project ID
• Preliminary Scores - sorted by total score
• Ineligible Projects
• Scoring Documentation and FAQs (updated 6/15/2021)

Public Comment:

Comments received

FFY 2022 - 2026 STP Shared Fund Recommended Active Program (PDF)

CMAP has developed a $165 million five-year program of projects that includes eight (8) new projects in federal fiscal years (FFYs) 2025 and 2026. The five-year program includes projects that will eliminate barriers to bicycles and pedestrians, reconstruct, rehabilitate, or expand highways and bridges, separate railroad tracks from highways, improve truck routes, and improve safety for all system users. In addition to this five-year program, CMAP has also developed a contingency program of 42 projects that may also be considered for funding if additional funds become available to the region.

Combined Scoring and Recommended Funding Details (PDF | Excel)

Application summaries, evaluation results, public comment and other program development information for the FFY 2022 - 2026 program is available on the call for projects web page.

Approved Program:

On October 13, 2021 the CMAP Board and MPO Policy Committee approved the FFY 2022 - 2022026 STP Shared Fund program

FFY 2020 - 2024 STP Shared Fund Program Development

Listing of Applications for CMAQ, TAP-L and STP-Shared Fund (March 2019)

Scoring:

STP - Shared Fund Final Scoring (July 11, 2019)

Scoring Documentation

STP - Shared Fund Scoring (June 10, 2019)

STP - Shared Fund Preliminary Scoring (June 10, 2019)
(includes ineligible projects and multi-category evaluations)

Comments received on the FFY 2020-2024 STP - Shared Fund Recommended Program:

Comments regarding the Homewood Metra Station (A-F) (PDF | 2.6MB)

Comments regarding the Homewood Metra Station (G-K) (PDF | 1.9MB)

Comments regarding the Homewood Metra Station (L-Z) (PDF | 3.7MB)

All other comments (PDF | 18.7MB)

Recommended Program of Projects:

FFY 2020-2024 STP - Shared Fund Recommended Programs (PDF)

FFY 2020-2024 STP - Shared Fund Recommended Programs (Excel)

On October 10, 2019 the CMAP Board and MPO Policy Committee approved the FFY 2020-2024 STP-Shared Fund Program