Press Release - Wednesday, July 19, 2023
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Rebuilding Decatur: Major projects highlight Year Five of Rebuild Illinois
Gov. Pritzker's historic capital program improving infrastructure throughout Illinois
DECATUR - Entering Year Five of Rebuild Illinois, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that multiple projects in the Decatur area are underway or planned, highlighting an ongoing commitment made possible by Gov. JB Pritzker's historic, bipartisan capital program. Nine major projects represent a total investment of more than $80 million, improving safety, mobility and quality of life while sustaining and creating good-paying jobs throughout the region.
"Rebuild Illinois is revitalizing communities and neighborhoods by investing in projects and people in the Decatur area and throughout the state," said Gov. Pritzker. "Through the largest capital program in state history, IDOT will be delivering improvements to build a more resilient, accessible and equitable system of transportation for generations to come, while creating jobs and enhancing local quality of life."
Eight of the nine projects are scheduled to be completed in 2023 or 2024. They include:
• Old U.S. Business 51 from Cleveland Avenue in Decatur to U.S. 51, about 2 miles south of Elwin Road resurfacing, bridge deck overlay and bridge joint replacement began last June and scheduled to be completed this fall. Lane closures should be anticipated, with one lane remaining open in each direction.
• Illinois 105/William Street bridge over Lake Decatur superstructure bridge replacement began last September and is scheduled to be completed this fall. Lane closures are anticipated, with one lane remaining open in each direction.
• U.S. 36 over U.S. 51 bridge painting began this spring and is scheduled to be completed in the summer. Lane closures should be anticipated, with one lane remaining open in each direction.
• Illinois 121 from U.S. 36 through Mount Zion resurfacing and ADA improvements including sidewalk ramps and traffic signal modernization and replacement began in May and are scheduled to be completed in fall 2024. Lane closures should be anticipated, with one lane remaining open in each direction.
• Illinois 105 from Bender Drive to the Piatt/Macon County line resurfacing began in May and is scheduled to be completed in November. Lane closures should be anticipated, with one lane remaining open in each direction.
• Illinois 121/Pershing Road from Interstate 72 to University Avenue resurfacing and ADA improvements begin in June and are scheduled to be completed in November 2024. Lane closures should be anticipated, with one lane remaining open in each direction.
• U.S. 51 from north of Forsyth to Interstate 72 resurfacing and ADA improvements begin in the fall and are scheduled to be completed in late 2025. Lane closures should be anticipated, with one lane remaining open in each direction.
• U.S. 36 from Illinois 48 to Church Street and West Eldorado Street from Illinois 48 to U.S. 36 resurfacing, bridge joint replacement, and ADA improvements, including sidewalk ramps and traffic signal modernization and replacement, begin in the fall and are scheduled to be completed in late 2024. Lane closures are anticipated, with one lane remaining open in each direction.
• U.S. 51 from the DeWitt/Macon County line to Forsyth resurfacing begins in August and is scheduled to be completed in late 2024. Lane closures are anticipated, with one lane remaining open in each direction.
"For years, our infrastructure has been crumbling and in a state of disrepair," said state Rep. Sue Scherer (D-Decatur). "These improvements will finally bring our city's sidewalks, roads and bridges into the 21st century. I welcome these changes, and I am proud to have played a role in developing the first-in-a-decade capital bill that made these improvements possible."
Passed in 2019, Rebuild Illinois is investing a total of $33.2 billion over six years into the state's aging transportation system, creating jobs and promoting economic growth. Rebuild Illinois is not only the largest capital program in state history, but also the first that touches all modes of transportation: roads and bridges, transit, waterways, freight and passenger rail, aviation, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.
"Gov. Pritzker is rebuilding Illinois is a way we haven't seen in decades! He is proving that Downstate matters by investing millions of dollars to fix our highways, roads and bridges," said Decatur Mayor Julie Moore-Wolfe. "Decatur and Macon County are important to this governor, and he is verifying it with miles of improvement."
Accomplishments through Year Four of Rebuild Illinois included approximately $12.1 billion of improvements statewide on 5,339 miles of highway, 533 bridges and 762 additional safety improvements. Visit https://idot.click/Rebuild-Illinois for information and highlights of other Rebuild Illinois projects happening throughout the state.
"These investments in the Decatur area will strengthen our system of multimodal transportation across the state," said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. "Remember: If you are driving in Illinois this construction season, you will be driving through work zones. When you see orange, stay patient, drop the devices and slow down."
For IDOT District 7 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict7 or sign up to receive email alerts from IDOT in Motion. You also can follow IDOT on Facebook.
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