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Governor releases $103 million
for road construction
[NOV. 16, 2002]
SPRINGFIELD Gov. George
Ryan released $103.9 million in state construction bond funds
Tuesday for 20 road and highway repair or building projects
throughout Illinois, including funds for the renovation of
Interstate 74 in East Peoria, repairs to Interstate 80 in Grundy and
Kendall counties, a new bridge over the Rock River in Milan, and
renovations to Illinois Route 159 in Madison County.
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"A modern and efficient road and
highway system is vital to the economy of Illinois," Gov. Ryan said.
"Over the last four years, my administration has repaired, expanded
or built hundreds of miles of roads to improve safety and the
movement of people and goods. These projects also have kept our
economy moving by creating hundreds of construction jobs in
Illinois."
Since 1999, Gov. Ryan has overseen more
than $4 billion in road, highway and bridge projects, with about
half of these projects funded by the governors
Illinois FIRST
program. The current years road program will target 867 miles of
road and 209 bridges.
Gov. Ryan released $4.7 million to
continue rehabilitating I-74 in the Peoria area. This particular
project will improve the ramp from eastbound I-74 to Riverfront
Drive in East Peoria. The work will complement the ongoing $400
million repair and expansion of I-74 on the other side of the river
in downtown Peoria.
More than $28.7 million was released to
rehabilitate portions of I-80 near Minooka, beginning east of Morris
Road to the Will County line and in Grundy County from Aux Sable
Creek to east of Illinois Route 47. Another $14.6 million was
released to rehabilitate the northbound Illinois Route 47 bridges
that cross the Illinois River and the historic Illinois and Michigan
Canal in Morris.
The governor also released $16.8
million to continue work on a new bridge over the Rock River, which
will connect Indian Bluff Road, along the Milan Beltway, to Seventh
Street in Moline. The bridge will cost an estimated $38 million and
was one of the initial projects that received a funding commitment
from Illinois FIRST. The bridge has been on the drawing board for at
least 30 years, and it is estimated that by 2020, 34,000 vehicles
will use it daily.
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More than $12.1 million was released to
rehabilitate Illinois Route 159 in Maryville and Collinsville from
I-55 to I-270.
Other projects included in this latest
grant release are:
Champaign County $3.2
million for U.S. Route 45 in Rantoul
Effingham County $4.2
million for Illinois Route 33 in Effingham
Fayette County $1.09
million for Illinois Route 185
Fulton County $1.35
million for Illinois Route 57 north of Cuba
Grundy County $307,000
for Township Route 17
Jackson County $3
million for Illinois Route 51 in Carbondale
Jefferson County $1.8
million for Illinois Route 15
Kankakee County $2.96
million for Court Street in Kankakee
Knox County $1 million
for U.S. Route 150
Lawrence County $1.2
million for Illinois Route 1
Madison County $1.7
million for the Alton Bypass
McLean County $3.1
million for I-55
Tazewell County $1.7
million for U.S. Route 150
Funds for
these projects are generated through the sale of state bonds. By
law, proceeds from bond sales cannot be used for general state
operations.
[Illinois
Government News Network
press release] |
