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Home > News > Did you know that the 2026 Chicago Appropriations Budget has a 10% decrease for the Chicago Department of Transportation compared to 2025, driven by a 12% decrease in appropriations from Grant Funds?

Did you know that the 2026 Chicago Appropriations Budget has a 10% decrease for the Chicago Department of Transportation compared to 2025, driven by a 12% decrease in appropriations from Grant Funds?

The annual appropriation ordinance is the final City budget as approved by the City Council. It lists the budget appropriations that each department will receive from the City for the fiscal year.

Here is how to view the Chicago Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) appropriations budget for 2026 using the OIG City of Chicago Annual Appropriations Over Time Dashboard.

1. Select CDOT

From the department(s) dropdown menu, either search for Chicago Department of Transportation or scroll down to select the department.
Screenshot demonstrating selecting the departments drop down menu.

2. View Updated Data

The dashboard now displays filtered data for CDOT.
Screenshot showing a summary of the budgeted amounts by fund types for the Chicago Department of Transportation

3. Click the node for 2025

After clicking the green node for 2025, a popup appears that reads “For the year 2025, the total budgeted amount is $2,039,303,751. There is $1,805,364,520 funded by the GRANT Fund Types, which is 89% of the total budget”.
Screenshot demonstrating selecting the 2025 nodule on the line graph with a pop up reading “For the year 2025, the total budgeted amount is $2,039,303,751. There is $1,805,364,520 funded by the GRANT Fund Types, which is 89% of the total budget”

4. Click the node for 2026

After clicking the green node for 2026, a popup appears that reads “For the year 2026, the total budgeted amount is $1,837,522,563. there is $1,597,404,000 funded by the GRANT Fund Types, which is 87% of the total budget.”
Screenshot demonstrating clicking the node for 2026 with a popup reading "For the year 2026, the total budgeted amount is $1,837,522,563. there is $1,597,404,000 funded by the GRANT Fund Types, which is 87% of the total budget."

Comparing the data

CDOT’s total budgeted amount for 2025 was $2,039,303,751 while for 2026, CDOT’s total budgeted amount is $1,837,522,563, a 10% decrease from the year previous. Grant Funds saw a decrease of 12% for 2026 with a total of $1,805,364,520 from 2025 and $1,597,404,000 for 2026.

Additional Information

After clicking on a node, you can also see the Top 10 Funds and Top 10 Appropriation Accounts for the year selected.
A screenshot demonstrating that you can also see the Top 10 Funds and Top 10 Appropriation Accounts for the year selected.

Learn more about the City’s Annual Appropriations Over Time by visiting the OIG City of Chicago Annual Appropriations Over Time Dashboard.

About the Office of Inspector General (OIG)

The mission of the independent and nonpartisan City of Chicago Office of Inspector General is to promote economy, effectiveness, efficiency, and integrity by identifying corruption, waste, and mismanagement in City government. OIG is a watchdog for the taxpayers of the City and has jurisdiction to conduct inquiries into most aspects of City government.

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