URBANA, IL (Chambana Today) – Urbana has secured a $10 million federal grant through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program to fund the Florida Avenue Corridor Project. The project will revamp 1.3 miles of Florida Avenue from South Wright Street to Hillcrest Avenue with key upgrades, including ADA-accessible sidewalks, a shared-use path, bus pullouts, traffic signal installations, and bicycle detection systems.
City Engineer John Zeman announced that the shared-use path between Lincoln Avenue and Race Street will be built in 2025 through an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) grant. Urbana Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin praised the grant, calling it a major step in replacing deteriorating pavement and improving accessibility for all residents. The project will also help complete the city’s bicycle network between Race Street and Lincoln Avenue.
Karl Gnadt, Managing Director of the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD), emphasized the value of collaboration across local agencies to bring the project to fruition. “This grant represents the tremendous value of cross-agency partnerships. From the planning study from the Regional Planning Commission to the resources from the City of Urbana, from the advocacy through Champaign County First, to MTD’s multiple submittals of the grant to this federal program, all roadway users and residents win.
The project is a key part of Urbana’s long-term infrastructure plan and aims to create a safer, more connected community for residents.