Governor Quinn Announces $9.4 Million for Construction Projects in Southern Illinois

STEELEVILLE – Governor Pat Quinn today announced an investment of $9.4 million for construction projects in Clay, Gallatin, Johnson, Marion, Perry, Pope, Randolph, Union and Wayne Counties. Funded by his Illinois Jobs Now! construction program, the projects are part of Governor Quinn’s commitment to creating jobs and driving Illinois’ economy forward.

“These projects will improve traffic flow and safety in southern Illinois, which benefits everyone,” Governor Quinn said. “The projects will also employ a number of construction workers, which will drive local economies forward.”

The projects will be managed by the Illinois Department of Transportation except where noted.

Clay County

A bridge that carries a road over Flat Branch Creek about three miles southwest of Sailor Springs will be replaced for $167,345 by Perry County Construction Company of Herrin, the lowest of three bidders.

Gallatin County

The approach pavement will be replaced on just over a tenth of a mile of westbound Illinois Route 13 in Gallatin County just east of the Illinois Route 1 junction. E.T. Simonds Construction Company of Carbondale was the lowest of four bidders at $256,755.    

Johnson County

1,536 housing unit windows at the Shawnee Correctional Center will be replaced, along with surrounding frame and wall areas, for $1,844,000 by Fager-McGee Commercial Construction, Inc. of Murphysboro, the lowest of six bidders. Current windows are 30-year-old original construction, are inoperable and have no remaining weather stripping. In addition to restoring correct operation and ventilation, Shawnee Correctional Center conservatively estimates energy savings over the likely life of new windows will total more than $600,000. The project will be managed by the Illinois Capital Development Board

Marion County

Illinois Route 37 will be improved for a distance of 4.5 miles from Kenco Road to just north of Hickory Grove Lane in Salem. The work includes new shoulders and rumble strips. Howell Paving, Inc. of Mattoon was the low bidder at $910,531.

Perry County

U.S. Route 51 from Poplar Street to north of Stacey Street in DuQuoin will be patched and resurfaced for $363,210 by Southern Illinois Asphalt Co., Inc. of Marion, the lower of two bidders.

Pope County

A culvert that carries Illinois Route 34 over a ditch northwest of the Hardin County line will be replaced for $264,410 by E.T. Simonds Construction Company of Carbondale, the lowest of four bidders.

Randolph County

Illinois Route 4/150 will be resurfaced for 3.6 miles from Locust Street in Steeleville to the Perry County line. Christ Bros. Asphalt, Inc. of Lebanon was the lower of two bidders at $1,280,000.

Illinois Route 3 from north of Roots Road to Ellis Boulevard in Ellis Grove will be resurfaced and patched for $654,440 by Keeley & Sons, Inc. of East St. Louis, the lower of two bidders.

Union County

The Illinois Department of Transportation Trail of Tears Rest Area along Interstate 57 near Anna, both the north and southbound facilities, will receive upgraded sewage treatment systems for $447,000 from RJS Constructors, Inc. of Peoria, the lower of two bidders. The project will be managed by the Illinois Capital Development Board. 

Six-tenths of a mile of Old U.S. Route 51 between Anna and Cobden will be patched and resurfaced for $226,777 by E.T. Simonds Construction Company of Carbondale, the lowest of three bidders.   

Wayne County

U.S. Route 45 will be patched, resurfaced and new shoulders added from south of Geff to the Clay/Wayne County line. Howell Paving, Inc. of Mattoon was the low bidder for the work at $2,354,199.

Two bridges in Wayne County will be repaired and improved with wider pavement, traffic control, expansion joint repairs and new structural pieces as needed. The bridges are located on Illinois Route 15 about two miles and about 4.5 miles west of the Edwards County line. E.T. Simonds Construction Company of Carbondale was the lowest of three bidders at $688,735.    

 “I am encouraged by the progress we are seeing with projects like this that will help better serve the area, especially given the extreme winter we have endured,” State Representative Brandon Phelps (D-Harrisburg) said. “Capital construction projects allow for an important investment in our roads, bridges and highway maintenance facilities to create jobs and put Southern Illinoisans back to work.”

The projects are part of Governor Quinn’s $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! program, which will support more than 439,000 jobs over six years. Illinois Jobs Now! is the largest construction program in Illinois history, and is one of the largest construction programs in the nation.