The Biden-Harris Administration has announced an $11.1 million grant to fund the Crab Orchard Greenway Multimodal Project in Carterville, Illinois. This grant, part of President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims to modernize roads and improve safety for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will receive the funding to construct 12 miles of multiuse trails, contributing to a larger 50-mile trail network along the Illinois Route 13 corridor.
The project will significantly enhance recreational and transportation opportunities for communities such as Marion, Herrin, Crainville, Carterville, and Carbondale. By providing a safe alternative to traveling on the shoulders of IL-13, it will improve safety and accessibility for non-motorized road users. More than 1,000,000 annual visitors to the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge will benefit from the improved infrastructure, which supports activities like biking, hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, and wildlife viewing.
This funding is part of an $88.2 million investment package for five nationally significant projects. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of good transportation infrastructure in enhancing the experience of visitors to national wildlife refuges. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has also announced $20.5 million in Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund grants for 80 projects, demonstrating a continued commitment to improving infrastructure and transportation safety across the nation.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides up to $355 million per year for Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects from FY 2022 to 2026. The law requires that half of all funding go to projects on tribal communities and increases the federal share of projects on tribal transportation facilities to 100 percent. The FHWA plans to make additional funding available in the coming weeks, supporting transportation priorities for the 574 federally recognized tribes in the United States.
