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Governor Quinn Announces $47 Million Illinois Jobs Now! Project to Expand Illinois Route 5 / John Deere Road


Project Expected to Create More Than 600 Jobs, Reduce Congestion, Improve Safety

MOLINE–(ENEWSPF)–October 10, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn, joined by Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider and other state and local officials, today announced the plan to construct a new bridge over Illinois Route 5 and add additional lanes to eliminate a major intersection bottleneck in the area. The $47 million dollar project, funded by Governor Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! capital program, will create more than 600 construction jobs, reduce congestion and improve safety for travelers throughout the region.
 
“We are committed to ensuring our state’s transportation system remains among the best in the world,” Governor Quinn said. “This bridge and road expansion project will create jobs, reduce the number of crashes due to congestion and improve safety in the highly traveled area.”
 
The entire Illinois Jobs Now! project spans from Illinois Route 5 from 16th St. to 0.3 miles east of 70th St. Phase One of the proposed project will construct a bridge west of 38th St. over Illinois Route 5 and complete connections to the local roadway system on each side of the roadway. Construction of the bridge will improve the flow of traffic and mainline operations. This portion of the project is expected to go to bid in 2013 and be completed by fall 2014.
 
“Investing in roads and bridges creates good paying jobs now and helps build a better future for Illinois transportation,” said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). “With critically important federal, state and local funds, Illinois can continue to upgrade and maintain the infrastructure our economy depends on.”
 
Phase Two of the proposed project will construct two additional lanes to expand Illinois Route 5 from a four to six lane highway system. It will also remove and replace the existing travel lanes, improve intersections, and replace culverts and extensions from 0.2 miles west of 38th St. to 0.3 miles east of 70th St. in Moline. Phase Two of the project is expected to go to bid in 2014 and be completed by fall 2016.
 
“The governor’s unwavering commitment to improve our state’s infrastructure is creating jobs and enhancing safety,” said Secretary Schneider. “Thanks to Illinois Jobs Now! the traveling public in this area can expect better access, less congestion and a safer commute.”
 
“We are grateful to Governor Quinn and the state for the funds that will help expand and reconstruct the congested John Deere Road corridor through Moline,” Moline Mayor Don Welvaert said. “This corridor has seen an enormous amount of growth over the last 20 years and the positive economic impact to new and existing businesses cannot be overstated.”
 
Governor Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! is the largest construction program in state history. Of the $14 billion in the program dedicated for transportation needs, $11.3 billion has been spent on projects that have improved more than 6,600 miles of roads and more than 1,000 bridges, creating approximately 140,000 jobs from highway projects alone.
 
Source: illinois.gov

 


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