Community leaders and lawmakers laud completion of upgrades to Chatham Road

Community leaders and lawmakers from Springfield, Leland Grove and the Illinois General Assembly celebrated the completion of upgrades to Chatham Road Wednesday, reflecting on the long journey it took to fund and complete the project.

Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder was joined by Sangamon County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter, Leland Grove Ward 2 Ald. Mark Frech, 50th District state Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, and 99th District state Rep. Sandy Hamilton, R-Springfield, to commemorate the finishing touches being placed on the $1.4 million project.

The project patched and repaved a large section of the road between Barberry Drive and Old Jacksonville Road. Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades were also made for pedestrians and drivers.

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According to Nate Bottom, the city's public works director, 17-19,000 motorists drive the stretch of Chatham Road each day. Parts of it have been rough.

"There's going to be less wear-and-tear on everyone's vehicles," McClure said. "These roads don't just make you uncomfortable when you're driving. They also do damage to your tires (and) your vehicle. There's less wear-and-tear on the vehicle, they're safer now and in winter, it's going to be a safer road for them to drive on."

While the project was within Leland Grove's jurisdiction, the price tag would have been not feasible for the village to do on its own. Instead, it entered into an agreement with Springfield to share costs and provide services for the road upgrades.

Langfelder and Frech praised the work that many did in keeping the project on track.

"It could not have been accomplished without partners," Frech said. "I know that (City Administrator) Tyler Lanier and Mayor (Mary Jo) Bangert worked tirelessly from the Leland Grove perspective in making it happen. The folks behind me who worked with Leland Grove from Springfield city government, county governments, state rep., state Senate; without the cooperation and efforts of all of these people, a project like this would not have happened."

Langfelder said the work done by McClure and Hamilton to continue funding for the project – which came out of the 17-cent increase in the motor fuel sales tax in 2019 – helped keep the project moving forward. Echoing Frech's comments, Langfelder praised all involved for showing how government can work if groups can work together.

"When it's all said and done with our community, it doesn't matter what side of the street you're on, everybody wants to see government working together for the best interests of our residents," Langfelder said. "This is a project that points to that."

Van Meter also praised McClure's work in getting the funding secured, giving him credit for coming in and helping provide a way to pay for the project that wouldn't overexpose the cities.

"The real hero of this is our state senator, Steve McClure," Van Meter said. "What you see here, you've heard of the "Miracle on 34th Street"? This is the Miracle on Chatham Road and the author of that miracle is Sen. Steve McClure who came up with the money."

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McClure said Chatham Road will be used even more by motorists as other future road projects begin.

"This is really what it's about, to do what we can for our citizens," McClure said.

Both McClure and Hamilton also praised former State Rep. Mike Murphy, who resigned in December after redistricting pushed him out of his district and into one with colleague Avery Bourne (now running for lieutenant governor alongside Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin).

Murphy and McClure worked to get money for the project; when Murphy stepped aside to be president of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, Hamilton took charge, working with her predecessor and others to make sure that everything came together for the newer, smoother road.

"I feel like our residents in this area are going to be happy about this road being completed," Hamilton said. "Anybody driving down this road will not have one complaint."

Contact Zach Roth: (217) 899-4338; ZDRoth@gannett.com; @ZacharyRoth13

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Community, Illinois officials celebrate upgrades to Chatham Road