The Will County Governmental League serves as home for the Will Council of Mayors, a cooperative body focused upon programming federal transportation funding for local road, transit, and bicycle facility projects. Members of the Will Council operate through the WCGL Transportation Committee comprised of Elected Officials, Village Administrators, Municipal Engineers and Public Works Directors whose mission is to identify and address local improvements to the transportation network. The Will Council of Mayors is one of 11 sub-regional councils in the Chicago region that represent local governments on transportation issues through the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). CMAP serves as the Chicago region’s metropolitan planning organization (MPO), and is responsible for the programming of federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) funding.
The Will Council of Mayors receives an annual allocation of local STP funds and is responsible for programming those funds according to the WCGL Transportation Committee STP Methodology. Council projects must meet all federal eligibility requirements, including being located on a federal-aid eligible route, and must be sponsored and implemented by a local community within the council. The list of current projects is at the link on the top of the page.
STP funding provides flexible funds that may be used by States and localities for projects to preserve and improve the conditions and performance on any Federal-aid highway, bridge and tunnel projects on any public road, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and transit capital projects, including intercity bus terminals.
In addition to the STP program, the Committee also works to find outside funding sources for local transportation projects. WCGL staff assist communities when applying for grants distributed through CMAP, most notable are the Congestion, Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds and the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). The Transportation Committee works with IDOT, ISTHA, RTA, Metra, and Pace on various projects these agencies have throughout the region. The WCGL Transportation Committee also works closely with CMAP to ensure the desires and needs of Will County communities are recognized in the region’s long-term planning process.
The Will County Governmental League has staff designated under the region's Planning Liaison Program (PL). Elaine Bottomley, Director of Transportation.
PL's are the primary link between CMAP and the suburban mayors. They are directly responsible for the programming of locally sponsored, federally funded projects in the CMAP Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). PLs coordinate the implementation of federally funded projects, including STP-L, CMAQ, BRR, Safe Routes to Schools, Enhancement (ITEP) and Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) projects, with municipalities and IDOT.
The Will Council of Mayors receives an annual allocation of local STP funds and is responsible for programming those funds according to the WCGL Transportation Committee STP Methodology. Council projects must meet all federal eligibility requirements, including being located on a federal-aid eligible route, and must be sponsored and implemented by a local community within the council. The list of current projects is at the link on the top of the page.
STP funding provides flexible funds that may be used by States and localities for projects to preserve and improve the conditions and performance on any Federal-aid highway, bridge and tunnel projects on any public road, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and transit capital projects, including intercity bus terminals.
In addition to the STP program, the Committee also works to find outside funding sources for local transportation projects. WCGL staff assist communities when applying for grants distributed through CMAP, most notable are the Congestion, Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds and the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). The Transportation Committee works with IDOT, ISTHA, RTA, Metra, and Pace on various projects these agencies have throughout the region. The WCGL Transportation Committee also works closely with CMAP to ensure the desires and needs of Will County communities are recognized in the region’s long-term planning process.
The Will County Governmental League has staff designated under the region's Planning Liaison Program (PL). Elaine Bottomley, Director of Transportation.
PL's are the primary link between CMAP and the suburban mayors. They are directly responsible for the programming of locally sponsored, federally funded projects in the CMAP Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). PLs coordinate the implementation of federally funded projects, including STP-L, CMAQ, BRR, Safe Routes to Schools, Enhancement (ITEP) and Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) projects, with municipalities and IDOT.