I-290 Blue Line Reconstruction Federal Funding
Federal Funding
Currently, federal funding for the project would come from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) / Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). While some funding for the project came from this program ($150+ million) the multi-year program sunsets on September 30, 2026.
Congress is actively working on a new Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act. The House is considering a bill that authorizes roughly $580 billion across highways, bridges, public transit, passenger rail, and safety programs through fiscal year 2031. The Senate has not yet started on their version of a funding.
The real opportunity for large capital project funding like the I-290 Blue Line will be in the competitive federal programs in the new federal transportation reauthorization program.
Federal I-290 Funding
Bridge Investment Program
$12.3 billion available
Projects to replace, rehabilitate, preserve or protect one or more bridges on the National Bridge Inventory.
National Infrastructure Projects Assistance (MEGA)
$5 billion available
Designed for large, complex projects that are difficult to fund by other means and likely to generate national or regional economic, mobility, or safety benefits.
Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program
$1 billion available
Projects that will restore community connectivity by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity.
Highway Safety Improvement Program
$2 billion available annually
Safety projects on all public roads.
Nationally Significant Freight & Highway Projects (INFRA)
$8 billion available
Multimodal freight and highway projects of national or regional significance that improve safety, generate economic benefits, reduce congestion, enhance resiliency, and hold the greatest promise to eliminate freight bottlenecks and improve critical freight movements.
Sept. 2022
On September 15, 2022, USDOT awarded $1.5 billion in INFRA dollars, including $70 million to the City of Chicago CREATE Ogden Junction Section project.
Congestion Relief Program
$250 million available
Planning, design, implementation, and construction activities, including integrated congestion management systems, systems that implement or enforce high occupancy vehicle toll lanes or pricing strategies; and incentive programs that encourage travel during nonpeak periods.
Local and Regional Project Assistance Grants (RAISE)
$7.5 billion available
Supplemental funding for grants for projects that will have a significant local/regional impact.
August 2022
In August of 2022, USDOT announced $2.2 billion in RAISE grants. Illinois projects included $20 million to the City of Chicago for the Englewood Line Trail Project and $20 million to Pace Bus for the Harvey Intermodal Transit Center.
Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA)
The Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program provides federal credit assistance to surface transportation projects of regional and national significance. Under the IIJA, the TIFIA program will have a total of $75 billion in lending capacity. While not direct funding, TIFIA can provide a direct loan, loan guarantee, or standby line of credit. If TIFIA is ultimately used for the I-290 or CTA Blue Line projects the state would be required to consider the project as a public-private partnership under federal law and conduct a value-for-money analysis on the proposed project.
Federal CTA Blue Line Funding
Capital Investment Grants
$8 billion
A variety of projects, including those that finance new fixed guideway or small start projects or core capacity improvement projects that increase the capacity of an existing fixed guideway system corridor by at least 10 percent.
Rail Vehicle Replacement Grants
$1.5 billion
Capital projects for the replacement of rail rolling stock.
Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA)
The Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program provides federal credit assistance to surface transportation projects of regional and national significance. Under the IIJA, the TIFIA program will have a total of $75 billion in lending capacity. While not direct funding, TIFIA can provide a direct loan, loan guarantee, or standby line of credit. If TIFIA is ultimately used for the I-290 or CTA Blue Line projects the state would be required to consider the project as a public-private partnership under federal law and conduct a value-for-money analysis on the proposed project.
All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP)
$1.75 billion
Capital funding to upgrade the accessibility of legacy rail fixed guideway public transportation systems for people with disabilities.
On December 19, 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced the CTA) received $118.5 million under the All Stations Accessibility Program grant program, to make the Irving Park, Belmont and Pulaski Blue Line stations with elevators and make other improvements to meet modern accessibility requirements.
Areas of Funding
IDOT
Learn more about funding from IDOT & the Rebuild Illinois Capitol Plan
Managed Lane Tolling
Learn more about the addition of a HOT lane strategy to improve I-290 congestion