Illinois
Rebuilding Southern Illinois: Interstate, roundabout projects highlight another historic construction season
CARBONDALE – Entering one of its busiest construction seasons ever, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that major projects in Southern Illinois are planned or underway, fueled by Gov. JB Pritzker’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program. Twelve major projects combined represent a total investment of nearly $545 million, improving safety and mobility while sustaining and creating good-paying jobs throughout the region.
“Rebuild Illinois is revitalizing communities and neighborhoods by investing in projects and people in Southern Illinois 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.”
Of the 12 major projects in Southern Illinois, one is scheduled to be completed in 2024 and the remaining 11 are anticipated to be completed from 2025 through 2028.
• Interstate 57, mileposts 66-75, expansion to six lanes and replacement of bridges over the Big Muddy River in Jackson County began in spring 2022 and is anticipated to be completed in 2025. Nighttime lane closures are anticipated.
• I-57, mileposts 75-85, expansion to six lanes and replacement of bridges over Marcum Branch and Gun Creek in Franklin County begins in 2025 and is anticipated to be completed in 2028. Nighttime lane closures are anticipated.
• I-57, mileposts 85-92, expansion to six lanes and replacement of structures over Dodds Creek in Jefferson County begins in 2024 and is anticipated to be completed in 2026. Nighttime lane closures are anticipated.
• I-57/64, Illinois 15 interchange reconstruction in Jefferson County is anticipated to begin in 2025. Nighttime lane closures are anticipated.
• I-24, milepost 27.5, bridge replacement in Massac County began in 2023 and is anticipated to be completed in 2024. Traffic will use a crossover configuration.
• I-24, mileposts 0-13, resurfacing and bridge repairs in Johnson and Williamson counties begins in 2024 and is anticipated to be completed in 2025. Lane closures are anticipated.
• I-24 bridge deck and bridge painting on the Ohio River Bridge in Massac County begins in 2025 and is anticipated to be completed in 2027. Traffic delays are expected.
• Illinois 146 in Vienna from U.S. 45 to east of I-24 in Johnson County includes pavement widening to accommodate a center turn lane, multiuse path extension and a roundabout at Illinois 146 and Red Bud Lane. The project began in 2024 and is anticipated to be completed in 2025. Daytime and nighttime lane closures with detours for the roundabout construction are expected.
• Illinois 149 at I-57 in Franklin County includes construction of roundabouts at I-57 ramp intersections, pavement reconstruction, bridge repairs, multiuse path and sidewalk. The project began in 2024 and is anticipated to be completed in 2025. Daytime and nighttime lane closures are expected.
• I-64 from Washington County Line to I-57 near Mt. Vernon in Jefferson County includes pavement reconstruction and bridge work. The project began in 2023 and is expected to be completed in 2026. Crossovers with daytime and nighttime lane closures are anticipated.
• Illinois 14 in McLeansboro at the abandoned railroad underpass in Hamilton County includes old railroad bridge removal, elevation adjustment and construction of new pavement, curbs, gutters and storm sewers. The project is expected to begin in 2024 and completed in 2025. Road closure with detour is anticipated.
• Illinois 13 from Spillway Road to Shawnee Trail in Williamson County includes pavement widening, resurfacing, traffic signals, bridge replacement over Crab Orchard Lake and a multiuse path. The project is anticipated to begin in 2025 and be completed in 2027. Daytime and nighttime lane closures are expected.
“Investing in the infrastructure of Southern Illinois not only creates new job opportunities but also demonstrates the state’s commitment to our region’s economic potential,” said state Sen. Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg). “I’m excited to see these initiatives move forward, bringing much-needed upgrades and improvements and ensuring our infrastructure remains safe and resilient for the future.”
“I am excited by the state’s commitment to Southern Illinois and the improvement of the region’s infrastructure and economy,” said state Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro). “With this significant investment, we can ensure that Southern Illinois continues to grow and thrive for generations to come.”
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.
“I want to thank the Illinois Department of Transportation leadership and Gov. Pritzker for their continued investments in our downstate infrastructure,” said Robert Spencer, mayor of Pinckneyville and president of the Southern Illinois Mayors Association. “These Rebuild Illinois capital projects are improving our transportation systems to make Southern Illinois safer and more modern, all while creating good-paying jobs for our residents.”
Accomplishments through March 31 of Rebuild Illinois include approximately $14.8 billion of improvements statewide on 6,078 miles of highways, 629 bridges and 895 additional safety improvements. Visit https://idot.click/Rebuild-Illinois for information and highlights of other Rebuild Illinois projects happening throughout the state.
“Under Gov. Pritzker, IDOT continues to deliver projects in Southern Illinois that strengthen the state’s entire multimodal system of transportation,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “If you are traveling anywhere in Illinois this construction season, you will be traveling through work zones. Put down the devices. Follow the signs. And when you see orange, slow down and save lives.”
A number of Taco Bell locations have posted signs announcing they are “currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall,” according to Detroit-area news radio outlet WWJ.
Taco Bell told the Post it would keep monitoring the situation and follow authorities’ guidance.
Taco Bell Lettuce Linked To Growing MI Parasite Outbreak: FDA
“Public health officials have not confirmed a link to Taco Bell or any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer,” the company told the Post. “While authorities continue their broader review, Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure.”
In Michigan, where cases have been concentrated, media reports said notices were posted at some Detroit-area Taco Bell restaurants last week telling customers the chain was “currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro-Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall.”
The Illinois Republican Party filed its quarterly campaign finance report on the July 15 deadline. The party reported having just $223K in the bank. The next day, the party sent a letter to the Illinois State Board of Elections saying they were “reconciling” their records after a leadership change, and then noted that their actual end balance was $101K higher than it had reported the day before.
But that bit of found money was basically the end of the “good news” for the GOP last week.
Republicans no longer have a pet billionaire. Bruce Rauner and Ken Griffin have fled the state. The legions of wealthy business titans who once contributed and raised money have either retired to sunnier climes or passed away. Several prominent party members have publicly shunned labor unions and their hefty political war chests, although the state GOP legislative leaders have at least tried to rebuild ties to trade unions and even the Illinois Education Association. But the heavily gerrymandered legislative map combined with the current political climate means they’ll mostly receive scraps.
And, yes, the House Democrats are struggling this month with scandals, including a state representative who resigned under pressure and another who was indicted. I’m not trying to downplay that at all. But Democrats have the national political environment, the local infrastructure and tons of cash behind them. The Republicans have little to none of that.
The GOP’s gubernatorial candidate, Darren Bailey, raised $1.3 million in the second quarter, which ended June 30. That sounds like a lot, but he spent almost all of that on direct mail fundraising costs. The huge expenditures do give him a prospect list for future fundraising, but he ended the quarter with a mere $128K in the bank. That was still a whole lot more than the rest of the statewide ticket.
Attorney General nominee Bob Fioretti, a perennial candidate, raised $31K, spent $39K and had $28K on hand at the end of the quarter along with almost $15K in recent debt. Secretary of State candidate Diane Harris raised $6K, spent a bit over $4K and had a paltry $1,816.42 in the bank. Treasurer candidate Max Solomon, who ran as a write-in during the primary because the party failed to recruit anyone, raised less than $3K, reported no spending and ended the quarter with less than $8K. Comptroller candidate Bryan Drew raised $30K and received $47K in in-kind contributions from a company owned, ironically, by independent gubernatorial candidate Collin Corbett, spent less than $3K, ended with $54K and had $25K in debt from earlier this year.
Man, that’s just downright pathetic.
But I suppose it doesn’t really matter anyway unless we see a massive sea-change in national opinion in the coming months or the federal government finds a way to not certify certain election results. Regardless of where individual candidates are at this moment, they’ll have the money to compete. Unlike the Republicans, the Dems do have a pet billionaire (JB Pritzker) and, I assume eventually for most of them, organized labor.
The Republican legislative leaders have tried to scrape and claw as much as they can, but they’re vastly outgunned. Senate Republican Leader John Curran raised just $75K in the second quarter. He spent $71K and reported having a bit more than $3 million in the bank. His caucus committee reported having $160K in the bank.
Leader Curran has three Republican-held districts to defend in the Chicago media market that have all trended Democratic in the last three cycles. Depending how bad things get, he could be defending a couple, two or three more.
The Senate Democrats have a ton of money to do whatever they want. Senate President Don Harmon has about $20 million in his personal campaign account and $1.7 million in his caucus account.
Over in the House, Republican Leader Tony McCombie has at least four Democratic-trending or swingy districts to defend and just $1.3 million in her personal campaign account and another $363K in her caucus account so far.
In contrast, House Speaker Chris Welch had $11.4 million in his personal account and $1.2 million in his caucus account. Like Senate President Harmon, he has more than enough money already, but more is never enough when there’s so much out there, so those numbers will likely rise by November.
Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.
BLOOMINGTON — Springfield’s Alex Eickhoff nearly had a magical Thursday as he tied for second place in the 95th annual Illinois State Amateur Championship at Crestwicke Country Club.
Eickhoff, a 2020 Hillsboro High School graduate and former standout on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s men’s golf team, shot a 4-under-par 68 in Thursday’s third round and followed that with an even-par 71 to finish the three-day, four-round event 1-over 285. He tied for second with Bloomington’s Logan Stauffer.
Eickhoff briefly took the lead through nine holes of his fourth round when he sat at 1-under par. Chicago’s Charlie Kulwin finished both of Thursday’s rounds under par and finished 2-under 282. He was the lone golfer to finish under par for the tournament.
Eickhoff was The State Journal-Register’s Small School Boys Golfer of the year twice in his high school career: once as a freshman in 2016-17 and again as a senior in 2019-20. After high school, he golfed for the University of Minnesota for two years before transferring to SIUE.
He began the tournament with a 3-over 74 on Tuesday and shaved off a stroke Wednesday with a 2-over 73. He closed out the event with an even-par 71 in Thursday’s final round.
Other area golfers who made the cut were Springfield’s Charles Hoogland (7-over 291, tied for 20th) and Jacksonville’s Brady Kaufmann (8-over 292, 25th).
The last golfer from The State Journal-Register’s coverage area to win the Illinois State Amateur was Jay Davis. Davis, a Jacksonville Routt graduate, won the 1991 and ‘92 tournaments.
Contact Ryan Mahan: 788-1546, ryan.mahan@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/RyanMahanSJR.
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