SUMMIT – State Senator Mike Porfirio announced a $2.4 million grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation will help students and those with physical limitations commute throughout his district.

“I am committed to maintaining transit systems that are convenient and accessible for all those in the 11^th District,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “This funding will uphold that commitment by breaking down barriers to those who need additional support traveling through the district.”

The grant will go toward replacing an existing failing, non-ADA compliant pedestrian bridge along 74^th Avenue that spans over the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad in the Village of Summit.

“We are ecstatic at the planned replacement of this bridge,” said Sergio Rodriguez, mayor of the Village of Summit. “It will improve accessibility for children and those with wheelchairs in the Village of Summit, allowing them to travel to school every day. After years of feedback from Summit residents, we are glad to see this project addressed in the village.”

The grant is part of IDOT’s commitment to improving non-motorized transportation options and supporting local infrastructure development across Illinois.