Several infrastructure projects across the listening area are now earmarked for implementation.
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation announced today a new six-year program to invest over $36 billion in transportation projects related to the Rebuild Illinois program.
In the program released today, $6.36 billion will go toward highway reconstruction and preservation, $6.4 billion for bridge improvements, $2.03 billion for strategic expansion, $2.48 billion for system support such as engineering and land acquisition, and $1.55 billion for safety and system modernization.
Included locally are projects already slated for work next year to replace both the US 67 bridge over the Illinois River at Beardstown at a cost of $75 million, as well as the Illinois River Bridge at Florence for $78 million.
Also included in the program for fiscal year 2023 are projects to install a new overlay on Route 267 from Interstate 72 to just over one mile south of Woodson, and the long-awaited South Diamond Street project to totally resurface and add curb and gutter to the east side of the road between Michigan Avenue and Greenwood Street in South Jacksonville.
Governor Pritzker said during the announcement today, that the large number of improvements wouldn’t be possible were it not for federal funding that was approved last year.
The new federal transportation package is expected to contribute almost $16 billion across all modes of Illinois transportation, with the state eligible to compete for billions more in discretionary programs. Pritzker says many of these improvements are more than long overdue.
Included in the six-year program beginning in 2024 or beyond are projects to replace the Morton Avenue bridge spanning Mauvaisterre Creek, the Apple Creek bridge near Waverly, as well as the Apple Creek bridge on US 67 south of White Hall.
Also planned is improvements to South Main Street from Morton Avenue in Jacksonville to just north of Southbrook Drive in South Jacksonville which include new pavement overlay, ADA improvements, and traffic signal replacements. The Main Street project could begin as early as 2024.