Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

More Money for Macomb Bypass

Rich Egger

Illinois has released $32.9 million to pay for the next phase of the Macomb bypass.

The road will connect Route 67 north of the city to Route 136 west of town.

In a news release, the state said bridges for the road have already been built at Route 136 and at Adams Street. The next phase will include pre-grading, the installation of drainage structures, and other work.

We're coming to the end of the 2009 capital bill and the needs are still great out there

Six firms bid on the project. The low bid came from Bloomsdale Excavating Company of Bloomsdale, MO.

Construction should begin early next month and be completed in November, 2014.

State Senator John Sullivan (D-Rushville) said the project will be paid for with money from a multi-year bond sale initially authorized by lawmakers in 2009 to pay for construction projects across the state.

He doubted whether all the money will be used right away, but he did not know whether there will be enough left to pay for paving the six mile, four lane bypass.

“Obviously we’re coming to the end of the 2009 capital bill and the needs are still great out there as far as roads and schools and economic development projects,” Sullivan said.

“We started a discussion this year, and I know it will continue next year, into trying to get the authorization for another multi-year capital bill.”

Sullivan said the state had gone nearly ten years without a capital bill before the 2009 bill, and he does not want that to happen again.

Sullivan also said he’s still waiting for the governor to let the bid for building the Performing Arts Center at the Western Illinois University campus in Macomb.

Rich is TSPR's News Director.