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In September, a tanker ran off the road near Teutopolis in
Effingham County and leaked hazardous chemicals into the air.
The semi-truck was carrying about 7,500 gallons of anhydrous
ammonia and more than half of the toxic chemical compound leaked
out.
The incident occurred near two adjoining construction zones on
I-70 and Route 40. There also have been fatal accidents in the
construction zone on I-70.
State Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Dieterich, said he has been trying to
get Illinois Department of Transportation officials to address
the construction zone for some time.
“Our frustration is with state administrative officials,”
Niemerg said at a Friday news conference in nearby Montrose.
“Trying to have conversations with state administrative
officials regarding issues on I-70 were met with silence.”
State Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, said he has joined Niemerg to
introduce legislation that prevents adjoining construction
projects at the same time.
“[The legislation] directs IDOT to never place a primary route,
an interstate system, under construction at the same time they
place the parallel secondary route, Route 40,” Rose said. “That
decision that was made a year ago led to what the folks who live
here know was complete chaos.”
Rose said GPS sent that truck where it should not have been, and
another part of the legislation would address that.
“GPS providers that operate in Illinois, to have a live person
for the state police and Illinois Department of Transportation
to speak with so they can upload preferred detours and in an
emergency basis, they can move them elsewhere,” Rose said.
IDOT also would be required to reimburse local governments for
damage to local roads caused by detours necessitated by state
construction projects.
The two plan to introduce the legislation during the fall veto
session, which begins next week.
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