State Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) said each year, legislators are provided with an update of planned infrastructure improvements proposed by the Illinois Department of Transportation for highway, rail and bridge projects. The latest report concentrates on projects within the 2015-2019 fiscal years, but some also extend into 2020.
Sen. Rezin said the costs of these projects are approximate and any project scheduled past fiscal year 2015 can change from one year to the next, due to appropriations and delays.
The following are a few of the highlights from the reports. The entire transportation program may be viewed on the Illinois Department of Transportation’s website or view by Senate District by clicking here.
Roadways
• An interchange reconstruction will take place at Illinois Route 129 on I-55 at a cost of $46,000,000.
• Engineering for congestion mitigation will take place on I-55 from Illinois Route 129 to Lorenzo Road for 2.45 miles at a cost of $28,750,000.
• Congestion mitigation, which will involve bridge replacement, will take place on I-80 eastbound and westbound from Ridge Road to US Route 30 for a cost of $31,750,000 and $32,630,000, respectively.
• Resurfacing, patching, bridge joint and deck repairs will be the focus of a project on I-80 extending 1.3 miles east of the Bureau County line to 0.5 miles west of Illinois Route 178, for a cost of $11,800,000.
• Resurfacing for a total of 9.39 miles will take place west of Jefferson Street in Marseilles to Marseilles Road on US Route 6 for $2,620,000.
• Bridge replacement over Little Vermilion River 3.1 miles east of Illinois Route 251on US Route 52 is scheduled for a cost of $1,500,000.
• Additional lanes and reconstruction will come to Illinois Route 47 from Caton Farm Road to Sherril Road, which is approximately 7.21 miles, and will cost $62,000,000.
• As a part of the Illinois Jobs Now! Project, 1.57 miles of Illinois Route 71 from west of Illinois Route 47 to east of Illinois Route 126 will be reconstructed for congestion mitigation purposes, at a cost of $14,500,000.
• A major bridge program project will take place on Illinois Route 89. The Illinois River Bridge at Spring Valley will be replaced for a cost of $25,000,000.
• Illinois Route 113 from Gray Road to the Kankakee County line will be resurfaced, a total of 4.93 miles, for a cost of $1,700,000.
• On Illinois Route 129, intersections will be reconstructed at both Strip Mine Road and Coal City Road, for a cost of $750,000 each.
• A major bridge replacement will take place on the Illinois River south of Utica on Illinois Route 178 for $22,000,000.
In all, from fiscal years 2015-2020, there are 81 proposed projects for the 38th District roadways covering 108.76 miles for a total cost of $509,765,000.
Railways
The railway projects for the 38th District include passenger rail development projects that have already begun.
• Passenger rail development for the Chicago-Quad Cities-Iowa City corridor will continue through fiscal year 2017. That project began in 2010. The total cost is $255,000,000. This project runs through a portion of LaSalle, Bureau and Kendall Counties.
• Will, Grundy and Livingston Counties will all have a piece of the high speed rail project that extends from Chicago to St. Louis. That project also began in 2010 and is scheduled to be completed in 2018 for a total cost of $1,756,300,000.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact Sen. Rezin’s office at 815-220-8720 with questions or concerns.