Leslie Phemister is the Transportation Liaison with South Suburban Mayors & Managers Association (SSMMA) in East Hazel Crest, Illinois. Among the many services SSMMA provides to its 35 member municipalities is awarding and administering $7 million in annual federal transportation dollars, and Leslie manages that as well as helps communities win millions more in county, state and federal transportation grants. Leslie has leveraged her 13 years of experience developing Safe Routes to School plans, community active transportation plans, and Complete Streets policies to transform how all those dollars turn into streets and trails that work for and benefit everybody - drivers, walkers and cyclists. She shares her insight and tips on how your town can do more for cycling and walking, PLUS...we have breaking news with Leslie on the GINORMOUS Chicago Southland trail projects and connections in store for 2021.

Acronyms in this podcast:
CMAP - Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
COG - Council of Government
IDOT - Illinois Department of Transportation
NICTD - Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District
NIRPC - Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission
SSMMA - South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association
STP - Surface Transportation Project
WOW - not an acronym, just our reaction to all that Leslie & SSMMA do for walking and cycling.