Competitive Freight Program

The Illinois Competitive Freight Program, administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), represents a key initiative aimed at enhancing and modernizing the state’s intermodal freight infrastructure. Designed as a competitive, grant-based program, it operates under the framework of the Illinois State Freight Plan, with a long-term goal of ensuring a safe, efficient, reliable, resilient, and sustainable freight system. Through this effort, Illinois aims to solidify its position as a global freight hub, fostering economic development while simultaneously improving equity and quality of life for its residents. The 2026 cycle of the Illinois Competitive Freight Program continues the state’s commitment to freight mobility. This specific round, titled the 2026 Competitive Freight Program, opens for applications on March 1, 2026, and will close on April 17, 2026. Notably, this opportunity is an internal call restricted exclusively to the Illinois Department of Transportation. No external entities or projects are eligible for consideration, emphasizing IDOT’s focus on internal infrastructure improvements in alignment with state-level strategic goals. This program supports projects that fall into Phase 1 and Phase 3 categories, which typically correspond to project planning and implementation phases, respectively. The funding available for this round totals $100 million, divided evenly over two fiscal years—$50 million in FY27 and another $50 million in FY28. The maximum application request is capped at $50 million in federal funds, not including the required matching funds. Projects under this program must adhere to standard matching requirements, set at either 80/20 or 90/10 for Interstate-related initiatives, depending on the project scope and location. Applicants must submit their proposals via the designated Microsoft Office Forms link (https://forms.office.com/g/CmUEwygP7d). A suite of supporting resources is provided to guide applicants through the submission process, including the Program Guidance and Scoring Tool, a dedicated Competitive Freight Program Mapping and Information Tool, the BDE 213 Form, and a Project Financial Information Template. Notably, some typical federal grant documentation—such as Uniform Grant Budgets or Applications—is marked not applicable for this round. As for proposal evaluation, the guidelines and scoring tool likely detail the metrics against which projects will be assessed, though specific criteria are not outlined in the program webpage. Nonetheless, by focusing on priorities such as intermodal accessibility, safety, and technology implementation, IDOT maintains alignment with the Illinois State Freight Plan. Questions related to the grant must be directed to [email protected]. The program timeline is clearly defined, with applications open between March 1 and April 17, 2026. While recurrence is evident from prior rounds in 2018 and 2023, the documentation does not define future cycle dates explicitly. The performance period will likely span the fiscal years in which funds are appropriated (FY27 and FY28), but this should be verified through further internal program guidance not publicly available.