CHICAGO – State Senator Bill Cunningham secured $3 million for a sidewalk project near Hazelgreen Elementary School in Alsip. The grant was awarded under the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program, administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

“Something as simple as an accessible sidewalk can provide peace of mind to parents who have kids going back a forth from school,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “This is part of the village’s promise to keep kids safe, and I was glad to play a role in securing the funding.”

The project consists of completing accessible ramps and filling in sidewalk gaps to establish a viable sidewalk network where one currently does not exist. The project is part of the Village of Alsip’s multi-year Safe Routes to Schools Sidewalk Project, which will create more safe passages throughout the village by having more sidewalks and bike paths to use.

“The Village Of Alsip is extremely thankful for the support we receive from Senator Bill Cunningham‘s office and especially the recognition IDOT has shown Alsip how much they share our concerns for the need to develop more Safe-Passage in our community, as many subdivisions still lack having typical sidewalks for pedestrians and for school children to get to school safely,” said Alsip Mayor John D. Ryan.

The grant is part of IDOT’s commitment to improving non-motorized transportation options and supporting local infrastructure development across Illinois.