Governor Quinn Announces $15.9 Million for Construction Projects in Eastern Illinois

URBANA – Governor Pat Quinn today announced an investment of $15.9 million for construction projects in Champaign, Clark, Coles, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Iroquois, Piatt and Vermilion 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 eastern 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.

Champaign County

Illinois Route 130 in Urbana will be widened from two to four lanes from East University Avenue to Windsor Road. The $7,696,860 contract went to the lower of two bidders, Open Road Paving Company, LLC of Urbana.

Fourth Street on the campus of the University of Illinois will be improved with new pavement, bike lanes, improved crossings and new traffic signals. The general construction work will be done for $1,508,000 by Beniach Construction Company Inc. of Tuscola. The electrical work contract went to Champaign Signal & Lighting Company, LLC of Urbana for $199,900. The project will be managed by the Illinois Capital Development Board.

G.M. Sipes Construction, Inc. of Rushville was the lowest of four bidders on a $1,211,654 project to patch Interstate 57 around the I-74 interchange, apply a high friction surface treatment to the interchange and install radar speed signs.

Two bridges that carry Interstate 72 over the Canadian National Railway in Champaign will be painted for $335,500 by ERA Valdivia Contractors, Inc. of Chicago, the lowest of eight bidders.

Champaign, DeWitt, Piatt and Vermilion Counties

Interstate 74 will be patched in Champaign, DeWitt, Piatt and Vermilion Counties, and I-57 will be patched in Champaign County, as part of a $589,869 project that will be done by the lower of two bidders, Kinney Contractors, Inc. of Raymond.    

Clark County

The City of Casey will receive new sidewalks, curb, ramps and landscaping along parts of Main Street and Central Avenue. Feutz Contractors, Inc. of Paris was the lower of two bidders with a quote of $462,663.   

Coles County

Earl Walker Company, Inc. of Sullivan received the contract for some Mattoon area road work with their bid of $334,775, the lowest of three bids submitted. One project consists of 2.2 miles of cape sealing on DeWitt Avenue from Logan Avenue to Lerna Road. The other project involves 4.8 miles of surface treatment on Lerna Road from south of Thomason Drive to Lerna Road East.

Patching will be done on 1.7 miles of Illinois Route 16 in Charleston from Douglas Drive to Illinois Route 130. G.M. Sipes Construction, Inc. of Rushville was the lowest of three bidders at $293,235.   

Douglas County

Various areas in Arcola will receive work including sidewalks and a parking area for $279,934 by A.J. Walker Construction Company of Mattoon, the lowest of three bidders.

Edgar County

Clinton Road in Paris will be improved for $351,439 by Howell Paving, Inc. of Mattoon, the lowest of three bidders. The work stretches from Eads Street to just east of the CSX Railroad and includes surfacing, shoulders and markings.

Ford County

Illinois Route 9/U.S. Route 45 will be milled and resurfaced from Baltimore Drive to the eastern limits of Paxton, a distance of 2.36 miles. Iroquois Paving Corporation of Watseka was the lowest of three bidders at $1,225,617.

Iroquois County

Bridges that carry Interstate 57 over the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway north of U.S. Route 24 at Gilman will be cleaned and painted. Eagle Painting & Maintenance Co., Inc. of Lansing was the lowest of seven bidders at $348,932.  

Piatt County

A bridge that carries Illinois Route 10 over Goose Creek east of Deland will be replaced for $449,628 by Stark Excavating, Inc. of Bloomington, the lowest of three bidders.

Vermilion County

Bridge deck repairs will be performed on the U.S. Route 150 structure over the Middle Fork Vermilion River west of Danville for $469,271 by Stark Excavating, Inc. of Bloomington, the lower of two bidders.

Bridge joint repairs will be performed on the U.S. Route 150 bridge over the North Fork Vermilion River in Danville. A.J. Walker Construction Company of Mattoon was the lowest of four bidders at $225,560.

“The investments we are making into Champaign and Vermilion counties’ infrastructure will help us keep our roads safe, as well as employ local workers,” State Senator Michael Frerichs (D-Champaign) said. “Good-paying jobs are vital to putting people back to work and growing our economy.”

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.