Rebuilding Bloomington-Normal Major projects highlight Year Three of Rebuild Illinois

For Immediate Release – September 15, 2021

BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL – Entering Year Three of Rebuild Illinois, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that multiple projects in the Bloomington-Normal area are underway, highlighting an ongoing commitment made possible by Gov. JB Pritzker’s historic, bipartisan capital program. Seven major projects represent a total investment of $21.6 million, improving safety, mobility and quality of life while sustaining and creating good-paying jobs throughout the region.

“With the Rebuild Illinois capital plan, we are restoring and transforming Illinois’s aging infrastructure,” said Gov. Pritzker. “Rebuild Illinois is not only about investing in infrastructure but about investing in people and communities as well. In the coming months, IDOT will undertake projects that will ultimately create safer roads and bridges and provide jobs in Bloomington-Normal and across the entire state.”

All seven projects in the Bloomington-Normal area are scheduled to be completed in 2021. They include:

Interstate 39 from 2100 North to 2200 North bridge deck overlay work began last summer and is scheduled to be completed in November. One lane in each direction remains open at Hudson with a barrier wall in place.
Veterans Parkway from Commerce Parkway to Washington Street patching and resurfacing began in April and is scheduled to be completed in November. Mostly night work will occur from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., with periodic daytime single lane closures.
Raab Road over Interstate 55 and Interstate 74 bridge joint replacement and painting of structural steel began in April and is scheduled to be completed in December. Raab Road is reduced to one lane with a barrier wall and temporary traffic signals.
Old U.S. 66 from Shirley to Logan County Line resurfacing began in June and is scheduled to be completed in November. Expect daily lane closures with flaggers.
Veterans Parkway and GE Road bridge joint repairs began in May and is scheduled to be completed in September. Veterans Parkway is reduced to two lanes north and south at Sugar Creek, north of GE Road.
I-55 at Funks Grove Rest Area bridge joint repair and deck resurfacing began in April and is scheduled to be completed in November.
I-74 from I-55 to Carlock pavement patching began in July and was completed by the end of the month.

“Rebuild Illinois continues to make life-changing impacts in every corner of the state, every neighborhood, town and city, Bloomington-Normal included,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “As always, please pardon our dust while we rebuild Illinois: Be patient, slow down and pay extra attention driving in and around any work zone.”

“The improvements being made through Rebuild Illinois are vital to keeping our city running smoothly,” said Bloomington Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe. “Governor Pritzker saw the need in our community and helped in getting things done.”

“Our communities are grateful for these improvements to restore roads and bridges in need of repair. Likewise, Normal will see a 51% increase in transportation-related spending over the next four years totaling more than $11 million,” said Normal Mayor Chris Koos. “Our residents appreciate safer roadways and the resulting jobs that come from the Rebuild Illinois work.”

Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 3,535 miles of highway and 9 million square feet of bridge deck as part of the Rebuild Illinois capital program, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Accomplishments through Year Two of Rebuild Illinois included approximately $5.2 billion of improvements statewide on 3,020 miles of highway, 270 bridges and 428 additional safety improvements.

Click here or visit idot.click/Rebuild-Illinois to view maps on the impact of Rebuild Illinois on this region and other parts of the state.

For news on these and other projects in IDOT’s District 5, follow @IDOTDistrict5 on Twitter or sign up to receive email alerts from IDOT in Motion. You also can follow IDOT on Facebook.