PEORIA MAGAZINE October 2022

S P O T L I G H T

‘AN INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE’ Five-year plan calls for $1.7 billion in infrastructure spending in IDOT District 4

BY LISA COON PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON M ultiple road-and-bridge projects are in the pipeline for the Peoria area as part of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s multi-year program. From 2023 to 2028, $20 billion will go towards transportation investments across the state, including 2,500 miles of roads andnearly 10million square feet of bridge deck. Backed by the historic Rebuild Illinois capital program, the plans were announced in early August by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. “At its very core, Rebuild Illinois and (IDOT’s multi-year program) are an investment in our future — one that leads to economic prosperity and environmental sustainability,” Pritzker stated in a news release. Of themajor elements in the program, $6.36 billion will go toward highway reconstruction and preservation, $6.4 billion for bridge improvements, $2.03 billion for strategic expansion, $2.48 billion for system support such as engineering and land acquisition, and $1.55 billion for safety and system modernizations. IDOT’s District 4, which includes Peor ia, Tazewel l and Woodford

counties, plus Fulton, Henderson, Knox, McDonough, Marshall, Mercer, Putnam, Stark and Warren counties, will see $1.7 billion in improvements over the next five years. “These are roads and bridges we take every day to get to work, go to school, and visit the people we love,” Democratic Sen. Dave Koehler said in a news release. “Not only will this investment make our roadways safer and our community more accessible, but it will create good-paying jobs for years to come.” Karen Dvorsky, IDOT District 4 pro gramdevelopment engineer, said Illinois hasmade goodprogress addressing road and bridge repairs in the last three years. “There is so much funding right now,” she said. “When we look at statewide priorities, the national highway system and bridge system are among the top priorities. We’ve been underfunded for updates for many, many decades. “Bridges, of course, are our number one priority due to safety,” she said. “We have a lot of bridges in District 4.” Here’s a preview: The Bob Michel Bridge will get $18.4 million in reinvestment.

38 OCTOBER 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE