A project to connect truck routes on U.S. 45 in the Champaign County area will receive a $900,000 state grant. | Pixabay
A project to connect truck routes on U.S. 45 in the Champaign County area will receive a $900,000 state grant. | Pixabay
A Democratic senator is heralding a $900,000 Illinois Department of Transportation grant that will connect U.S. 45 and County Highway 20 truck routes as a funding source that will help to create jobs and improve the Champaign County regional economy.
The grant is part of $7 million in local infrastructure funding that IDOT is making available to local governments as part of the Rebuild Illinois program. The project is anticipated to cost $3 million and will cover 24 miles.
"This funding will boost jobs during these tough economic times and ensure our community has the necessary resources to attract business, regulate growth and improve local quality of life," Sen. Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) said in an April 6 news release.
This grant comes from the state Transportation Department's Truck Access Route Program. Local governments can apply for assistance in upgrading roads to accommodate 80,000-pound trucks and become designated truck routes.
“Illinois is the country’s transportation hub, with freight activity a cornerstone of the state’s economy,” acting Transportation Secretary Omer Osman said in the release. “At IDOT, we want our local partners to have the necessary tools to manage traffic safely and spur even more job creation and economic growth.”
The City of Danville also recently received $80,000 through the Rebuild Illinois program to fund the Fairchild Street project.
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