Entering year five of Rebuild Illinois, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced Aug. 15 that multiple projects in the Kankakee area are complete, planned or under way, highlighting an ongoing commitment made possible by the historic, bipartisan capital program. Twelve projects represent a total investment of $263.5 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 the Kankakee area and throughout the state," said Gov. J.B. 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 projects, four are scheduled to be completed in 2023, three are scheduled to finish by the end of 2024, with the remaining five anticipated to begin from 2025 through 2027.
- Waldron Road over Interstate 57: A bridge replacement with a wider structure to eventually accommodate additional interstate lanes started a year ago. The project also includes retaining walls. Construction is complete.
- I-57 over Grinnell Road and railroad tracks north of Illinois 17: Bridge replacements started last year. Northbound bridge work continues. One lane in each direction remains open in the southbound lanes. Traffic will then be shifted onto the new lanes once they are complete so work can begin replacing the southbound bridges. The entire project is expected to be finished by the end of 2024.
- Armour Road over the Canadian National Railroad: A bridge replacement started last year. One lane in each direction remains open. This project is expected to be completed next summer.
- Illinois 50 at Armour Road in Bradley: An intersection improvement started this spring. Other items include storm sewer, shared-use path, sidewalk, curb and gutter, lighting, traffic signals and landscape restoration. The project includes improvements to the intersection of Armour Road and Pharmaceutical Drive/Arthur Burch Drive. Anticipated completion date is late 2024.
- U.S. 45/52 over Rock Creek west of Manteno: A bridge replacement that was started in 2022 wrapped up in June.
- Illinois 115 in Kankakee: Patching and resurfacing from Washington Avenue to Gar Creek just south of 1000S Road was completed in late July.
- Illinois 102 from the Will/Kankakee County line to U.S. 45/52 in Bourbonnais: Signal improvements and milling and resurfacing began in September 2022. The project is scheduled to be completed by winter.
- I-57 and U.S. 45/52 interchange: This project will convert the present folded diamond interchange into a diamond interchange, replace the overpass and improve I-57 and U.S. 45/52. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2025.
- I-57 at Manteno: This project will reconstruct the interchange at Manteno (exit 322) and will replace the bridge over I-57. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2025.
- Illinois 50 from Brookmont Boulevard to U.S. 45/52: This project will replace the pavement in this area. Work is anticipated to begin in 2026.
- Illinois 115 from U.S. 45/52 (Water Street) to Jeffrey Street: This project will replace the pavement in this area. Work is anticipated to begin in 2026.
- I-57 at Illinois 17 interchange: This project will convert the present folded diamond interchange into a single point urban interchange (SPUI) and along with replacing the overpass and improving I-57 and Illinois 17. Work is anticipated to begin in 2027.
"These investments in the Kankakee area will strengthen our system of multimodal transportation across the state," said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman.
For more information, visit https://idot.click/Rebuild-Illinois.
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