Gov. Pritzker Announces Start of Perryville Road Bridge Project in Rockford

ROCKFORD — Governor JB Pritzker along with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) were joined today by local officials and community leaders to announce the start of the Perryville Road bridge replacement over Interstate 39 and U.S. 20/51 in Cherry Valley. The project is the first step in an estimated $302 million, multi-year effort to rebuild and modernize I-39 between Harrison Avenue and Blackhawk Road, a cornerstone project of Gov. Pritzker's historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program.

"Today, I couldn't be prouder to announce an $8 million investment to fully replace the Perryville Road Bridge — marking the beginning of our massive $300 million undertaking to transform I-39," said Governor JB Pritzker. "With construction well underway, the new Perryville Bridge will be safer and more efficient for Illinois motorists and pedestrians travelling along this corridor. Since I signed the Rebuild Illinois infrastructure plan into law, more than $150 million is already at work supporting transportation needs in the greater Rockford area, with another $525 million to continue the revitalization of regional mobility over the next few years."

The existing Perryville Road bridge carries almost 8,000 vehicles a day across I-39 and U.S. 20/51, serving as a regional artery connecting Rockford, Loves Park and Machesney Park. Built in the 1960s, the structure has an outdated design and low clearance height that makes it susceptible to hits from large commercial vehicles. Beginning this week, the bridge will be closed to traffic and replaced over the upcoming construction season with a longer structure to accommodate the I-39 expansion that starts later this year.

The overall I-39 reconstruction involves several enhancements that will improve traffic flow and safety along the stretch roughly between the interchanges with U.S. 20 and Interstate 90 (Jane Addams Tollway). The interstate will be widened to include a third lane with an auxiliary lane in both directions, with the interchange at U.S. 20-Harrison Avenue converted to a diverging-diamond design, improving capacity, safety and operations.

When the entire project is substantially complete in 2027, a total of 15 bridges will have been reconstructed, including the Kishwaukee River bridges on U.S. 20. A third lane in each direction also will have been added to Harrison Avenue/U.S. 20 approaching I-39, with a bike and walking path connecting to local trails.

"Investing in capital improvement helps move our State and this community forward. This interchange is one of the busiest transportation arteries in Illinois, intersecting cargo movement from north to south, and from east to west," said State Senator Dave Syverson, (R-Cherry Valley). "The Perryville Road Bridge project will expand capacity in a major industrial hub, and I appreciate the Governor and IDOT's work to get this project underway and highlight its importance."

"Widening the Perryville bridge to accommodate eight lanes of traffic will be a boon to the local economy by speeding Rockford workers' commutes and encouraging visits to area forest preserves," said State Rep. Dave Vella, (D-Rockford). "Infrastructure projects like this also create new good-paying jobs in construction, bringing new opportunities to unemployed workers in the area."

"Perryville bridge widening and similar projects don't just stimulate the economy, they promote public safety," said State Rep. Maurice West, (D-Rockford). "1-39 highway reconstruction in general has been a long time coming. Illinoisans have had to settle for bumpy, substandard and even at-times dangerous highway driving for years, and it's time for that to end."

"In every region of our state, Rebuild Illinois is delivering transformational projects that are improving local quality of life and creating economic opportunity across all modes of transportation," said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. "Perryville Road is the catalyst for a multitude of improvements that are going to have a positive impact in the Rockford area not just for now, but for generations to come."

Rebuild Illinois is advancing several projects in the Rockford area.

Others include the $6.6 million expansion of East State Street from Mid America Drive to Buckley Drive, a $12.4 million resurfacing of U.S. 20 from near Winnebago to South Main Street (Illinois 2), and the $1.5 million Alpine Road resurfacing from Charles Street to Harrison Avenue. Working in partnership with Rockford, last fall, IDOT finished a third phase to revitalize West State Street, a $6.5 million improvement that added a new lane of traffic in each direction with green space and other features to encourage walking and biking.

Additionally, Rebuild Illinois invests $275 million to re-establish passenger rail service between Chicago and Rockford. The capital program has also invested close to $40 million in the Rockford Mass Transit District - $32.7 million to expand and improve the 520 Mulberry Street transit facility and $6.9 million to buy alternative fuel buses and paratransit vehicles.

Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 2,500 miles of highway and nearly 10 million square feet of bridge deck as part of Rebuild Illinois, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Accomplishments through year three of Rebuild Illinois included approximately $8.6 billion of improvements statewide on 4,422 miles of highway, 412 bridges and 621 additional safety improvements.