Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announces Invest in Cook grant awardees at the county building on Aug. 14, 2025. [President's Office]

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and the county Department of Transportation and Highways on Thursday announced $8.27 million in grant funding would be awarded to multiple organizations through the Invest in Cook program to fund myriad transportation projects.

The funding will be used toward 32 projects — including four transit, eight pedestrian, six bicycle, one freight and 13 road projects, according to the county. Funding is going to 26 municipalities, three transit agencies, two park districts and one township, the county also said.

Since the Invest in Cook program was launched in 2017, it has helped finance 310 transportation projects and awarded more than $72.7 million in grant money. This year, the ninth year of the program, the money being disbursed will help allow “nearly $21 million in transportation infrastructure engineering and construction to advance,” the county said in a news release. 

“Every community needs good transportation options in order to thrive,” Preckwinkle said in a news release. “The Invest in Cook program helps meet the needs of all communities, whether it is enhanced public transit, safer streets, new bicycle paths or improvements to industrial roads to support businesses.” 

The president said the grant program, which receives its funding through Motor Fuel Tax revenue, especially helps “traditionally under-resourced areas” and results in improved quality of life. 

Some of the organizations receiving funding include Pace, the villages of Phoenix and Berkeley and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). 

Pace is set to receive $176,000 in grant funding to help finance construction costs for its Cermak Road Business Access and Transit Lane pilot program, and the bus agency will also receive $180,000 to help cover the cost of implementing the expansion of the Arlington Heights/Rolling Meadows on-demand service. 

“Pace’s collaborations with Cook County have consistently delivered better service for our region,” Pace Executive Director Melinda Metzger said in a statement. “Now, as Pace navigates a period of fiscal uncertainty, the County has stepped up once again to help us keep people connected to jobs, schools and essential services.” 

The Village of Phoenix will receive $430,000 to help pay for the design and construction costs for the village’s 7th Avenue improvement project, according to the county. 

“Projects like the 7th Avenue improvements in the Village of Phoenix are a great example of the things we can do when we work together,” said Phoenix Mayor Terry Wells, who like Metzger attended the grant award announcement Thursday. “It is so important to reinvest in our infrastructure, and this grant will help maintain and modernize roadways in the County and in my village.” 

The Village of Berkeley will receive $525,800 to help cover design costs associated with Taft Avenue and Prairie Path Trail Corridor improvements. The CTA will receive $300,000 to help cover the costs of conducting a feasibility planning study for the Forest Park Branch Station. 

According to the county, 75 applications for grant funding were submitted, which were then reviewed, evaluated and scored by transportation and highways department staff using a combination of performance-based criteria and interviews with applicants.