Oak Lawn Park District Selected to Receive $1.67 Million Grant
Published 4/21/2023
Oak Lawn Park District was notified from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) that they have been selected for Cycle 15 – 2022 Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) funding for the Wolfe Wildlife Bike Trail Project. The $1,697,877 project will be to replace the pathways and lighting at Wolfe Wildlife Refuge (109th & Laramie Ave.).
This is the third successful grant application for Oak Lawn Park District this year, totaling over $2.6 million. The other two being a $345,000 Tourism Attractions & Festivals Grant for Centennial Park and a $600,000 Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant for the Wolfe Wildlife Rejuvenation Project.
“The ITEP funding is a wonderful opportunity to improve our walking and biking paths at one of our most popular parks,” said Tom Hartwig, executive director. “We have a fantastic team that put these grants together with the common goal of providing improvements to the places our community loves and I’m happy to see their hard work pay off.”
Oak Lawn Park District would like to thank Illinois State Senator Bill Cunningham, Village of Oak Lawn Board of Directors, Mayor Terry Vorderer, and the Southwest Council of Mayors for writing letters of support for the grant. Further details of the project and a timeline will be released soon.
Made possible by federal and state funds administered by IDOT, ITEP awards are focused on improving bike and pedestrian travel, as well as making other surface transportation improvements that promote alternative options for getting around communities.
Projects were awarded based on their readiness and ability to connect to transportation networks and other economic drivers, as well as secure public support and provide public benefits. Additional consideration was given to projects serving areas with higher needs, based on population totals, percentage below the poverty level, and estimated median household income. IDOT received 213 applications for projects worth an estimated $337 million for the current cycle.