IDOT awards $1.875 million to McLean County for final 9 miles of Route 66 trail, county says

McLean County on Tuesday reported a $1,875,000 grant award from the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Local Project Fund to support engineering and design work on the final 9 miles of the Route 66 bike and pedestrian trail.

Member Leah Klein, reporting for the Land Use and Transportation Committee, told the board the IDOT award replaces a $675,000 RAISE 2024 planning grant that the U.S. Department of Transportation had rescinded. The new state grant will fund phase 1 engineering and environmental review as well as phase 2 design, plans and specifications to make the project shovel-ready.

Klein noted the grant program is competitive — IDOT received more than 1,900 applications statewide — and said the award positions McLean County to pursue construction funding in future grant cycles.

Completing the remaining 9 miles of trail is framed by the county as promoting active transportation, safety and rural economic development along the historic Route 66 corridor. Klein thanked the governor’s office and IDOT for support and said county staff hope federal partners will continue to consider ways to fund final construction phases.

No board vote was recorded in the meeting excerpt for this informational update; the item was reported as the committee’s informational report to the full board.