President Preckwinkle Awards $8.29 Million to Invest in Cook Projects

Invest in Cook grant program improves transit, pedestrian and bicycle paths as well as road and freight transportation across Cook County

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle joined the County’s Department of Transportation and Highways (DoTH) today to announce 36 projects that will receive funding under the 2026 ‘Invest in Cook’ grant program. A total of $8,290,548 will be distributed across 30 municipalities, two transit agencies, a park district, a council of governments and a township to fund three transit, 12 pedestrian, nine bicycle and 12 road projects.

This is the 19th year Invest in Cook grant funding has been awarded for transportation-related projects. Invest in Cook has awarded nearly $81 million in grants for a total of 346 projects throughout Cook County since its inception in 2017.

The County’s investment of nearly $8.3 million leverages significant additional local, state and federal funds, allowing more than $27 million in transportation infrastructure engineering and construction to advance. Past projects funded by Invest in Cook have gone on to receive $3 of local, state or federal funding for every $1 of Invest in Cook awards.

"Invest in Cook partners with our municipalities and local agencies to build safer streets, stronger neighborhoods and a more connected transportation network to better serve our residents,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “By investing in projects that improve mobility, expand opportunity and support long-term economic growth, we are helping ensure every community in Cook County has the infrastructure it needs to thrive."

One of this year’s grant recipients joined President Preckwinkle for the announcement. Alsip Park District received $136,750 toward design engineering for the remaining segments of the Cal-Sag Trail, an important regional bike connection in the southwest and south suburbs.

“Alsip Park District is excited to be able to advance the engineering to close the final gaps in the Cal-Sag Trail,” said Alsip Park District Director of Parks and Recreation Jeannette Huber. “This long-awaited project will provide new transportation choices and promote active, healthy lifestyles for our residents.”

Invest in Cook grants help municipalities and other organizations further their transportation projects by providing the gap funding required to advance investing in the planning, engineering, right-of-way acquisition and construction associated with transportation improvements sponsored by local governments and private partners. Funding early project phases is crucial to unlock follow-on grant funding opportunities.

Invest in Cook is an initiative that’s part of Connecting Cook County, the County’s long-range transportation plan, which guides how the County invests in transportation to attract and retain businesses, people, capital and talent. Invest in Cook grants advance the ‘Vital Communities’, ‘Sustainable Communities’, ‘Healthy Communities’ and ‘Connected Communities’ priorities laid out in the Cook County Policy Roadmap.

DoTH evaluated the 88 grant applications submitted by local governments and transit agencies based on priorities detailed in Connecting Cook County:

• Prioritize transit and other transportation alternatives
• Support the region’s role as North America’s freight capital
• Promote equal access to opportunities
• Maintain and modernize what already exists
• Increase investments in transportation

DoTH staff evaluated and scored the proposals using publicly available, performance-based criteria. A qualitative assessment consisting of staff reviews of applications and applicant interviews complemented the quantitative assessments.

View the complete list of 2026 Invest in Cook grant recipients and projects.