Galesburg City Council last night approved an addendum to their 2010 agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation over the construction of often delayed East Main Street Underpass.
The change will have little affect on actual construction but does transfer the responsibilities of lead agent on the project from the City of Galesburg to IDOT.
Designs and right of way are already in line so IDOT will directly pay construction workers, minus a pair of construction inspectors the city will provide.
City Engineer Wayne Carl tells WGIL the original agreement was for IDOT to award around $17 million to Galesburg to use for the project.
“The project over the years has increased in cost and complexity,” Carl says. “IDOT felt like the way the funding got put together with them funding pretty much the entire construction that they would be better off letting it as a state project.”
Last night aldermen also approved $80,500 for 14 organizations receiving funds from the City’s Economic Development Fund.
City Manager Todd Thompson recommended keep allotment amounts the same as last year and council approved.
Some of the groups receiving awards include $10,000 for Railroad Days, $8,000 for United Way and $7,500 for the Knox Galesburg Symphony.
Additionally, council approved a bid to lease out city owned farm land, getting an over $50 per acre increase after last month aldermen decided to re-let bids out.
They also approved a bid resurface a stretch of Fremont Street, one of the first projects included in the city’s capital improvement plan to fix infrastructure and roadways around town.
