What big Rebuild Illinois projects are planned this year in Springfield? Here's our list
The Illinois Department of Transportation is planning to invest more than $100 million in construction across Springfield in the coming years as part of the state's Rebuild Illinois initiative to fix crumbling infrastructure.
IDOT on Thursday announced the projects that are slated to begin or continue this year, with work to improve rail lines, patch roads and highways, and repair bridges all on tap. .
Here's what to expect from Year 4 of the Rebuild Illinois program in Springfield:
More: Sangamon County judge orders Illinois DHS secretary to appear in court, here's why
Rail projects continue
10th Street
Overview: A series of underpasses along 10th Street at Madison and Jefferson streets are in the works, with a plan for a second railroad track to join an already existing track over the two streets. Both streets will be closed until completion, with Carpenter Street being a detour route.
Cost: $49.2 million
What to know: IDOT has teamed up with the city of Springfield for the 10th Street and Fifth/Sixth Street projects as part of the Springfield Rail Improvements Project.
Projected completion date: Fall 2024
Fifth and Sixth streets
Overview: A combination of bridge replacements, upgrades to railroad tracks and new drainage systems. Fifth and Sixth streets will be closed for short periods of time in order to complete the project.
Cost: $44.4 million
What to know: IDOT has identified the rail improvements as the projects most likely to have an effect on people in Springfield once completed.
"Being able to improve the railroad corridor (is) going to allow folks to maneuver and get through town with a limited amount of delays," said Sal Madonia, a program development engineer with IDOT. "Those are going to be huge for the city of Springfield because there's some situations (such as) the one on Carpenter Street and the one on Ash Street (that) allow folks to get through and get from one side of town to another without being delayed by railroads."
Projected completion date: Fall of 2022
Bridge upgrades on the list
Interstate 72
Overview: Replacement and resurfacing of bridges along Interstate 72 in between Wabash Avenue and Illinois 4, along with repairs of retaining walls. Traffic has been reduced to one lane in work zones.
Cost: $5.9 million
What to know: Age of the bridges along the highway was a key factor in pursuing the project.
"We analyze and observe the condition of the bridge itself," Madonia said. "The bridge itself is getting a little bit older and it was showing signs of deterioration. It was time to make improvements."
Projected completion date: November 2022
Lost Bridge Trail
Overview: A deck overlay along with joint replacement on the bridge. Once work begins on the project in July, traffic will be reduced to one lane.
Cost: $1.65 million
What to know: The big difference between the Lost Bridge Trail and Wabash/Illinois 4 projects is that the work done at the former is less invasive than what is needed to fix up the latter.
"The ones over the Lost Bridge Trail and Walnut Street are bridge deck overlays," Madonia said. "We do a very thorough inspection. We have a process in place that allows us to analyze and determine which bridges need (to be) addressed and at what time, as well as what the actual scope of the work is."
Projected completion date: November 2022
Madison Street over Walnut Street
Overview: Some similarities to the Lost Bridge Trail project in that it will entail an overlay of the bridge deck and repairs to joints. Once work begins in July, traffic will be reduced to one lane.
Cost: $580,000
Projected completion date: October 2022
More: This Williams Township trustee is replacing Todd Smith on the Sangamon County Board
Patching holes
Fifth Street patching
Overview: Patching along Fifth Street from south of Ash Street to north of Stanford Avenue will include new "smart" overlays and improvements in parking. Once work begins in July, traffic will be reduced to one lane.
Cost: $800,000
What to know: IDOT wants to fix the rough nature of the road, which is a well-traveled road in the city.
"This section's a little rough," Madonia said. "This will give us an opportunity to get out there, take the top surface off and put in a new asphalt surface on top."
Projected completion date: September 2022
Wabash Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard
Overview: An already completed project that resurfaced and replaced joints on a well-traveled road.
Cost: $400,000
What to know: Like Fifth Street, this project was designed to fix a well-traveled portion of the city that had been in poor condition through wear and tear.
"We were able to go out there and make some surface improvements to better this pavement surface throughout the corridor," Madonia said.
Completed: May 2022
What's next?
Madonia said that there are more significant projects to come through the Rebuild Illinois initiative. More information to be released in the future.
City officials have praised what the bipartisan initiative has been able to do for Springfield, with Mayor Jim Langfelder saying the infusion of infrastructure funding has provided needed improvements for Springfield.
"Thanks to Rebuild Illinois, the Third Street to 10th Street rail conversion will stay on track for the 2025 completion date," Langfelder said. "It has also provided long overdue bridge and road repair work in and around the city."
Contact Zach Roth: (217) 899-4338; ZDRoth@gannett.com; @ZacharyRoth13
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Springfield IL construction: 7 road, bridge projects happening in 2022
