Gov. Bruce Rauner on Tuesday announced a plan that invests over $11 billion in infrastructure across Illinois over the next six years.The plan involves massive projects like $148 million for improvements on Interstate 80 through Will County, and $26 million toward the reconstruction of U.S. 20, the Rockford bypass in Rockford.
But Rauner’s plan also includes plenty of road and bridge projects in the Galesburg area, in fact it proposes about $42 million in improvements for state roadways in Knox County.
The project’s include reconstructing Seminary from East Berrien Street to South Fourth Street, replacing the IL 78 Bridge over Kickapoo Creek and resurfacing 2.5 miles of Main Street.
Overall there are about 16 proposed projects in Knox County that would be completed by 2024.
Senator Chuck Weaver joined Gov. Rauner and Secretary of Transportation Randy Blankenhorn at a news conference on the shore of the Illinois River, near the McClugage Bridge in Peoria on Tuesday.
Weaver said the biggest commerce drivers are education and infrastructure.
“It’s not just about how things are falling apart that you fix but also about where you get the greatest economic return on what you’re doing for infrastructure,” Weaver says.
16 projects are proposed for Warren County as well totaling almost $38 million.
The largest of those jobs would be include a portion of Mercer County in the widen and resurfacing of U.S. 67 on the six miles from 270th Avenue to North of 210 Avenue.
Funding is coming from a handful of different sources: 82% (or $9.06B of it) is coming from federal aid. 12% ($1.34B) from the state and 6% ($650M) coming from local municipalities.
The information provided from IDOT says, “State funds totaling $1.34 billion are anticipated to be available for the FY 2019-2024 Multi-Year Plan and primarily generated from state motor fuel taxes and motor vehicle registration fees.”
The state legislature would likely need to approve Rauner’s plan.
