Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has announced the acceptance of bids on 236 contracts for highway and bridge projects during its June letting. This represents a potential investment exceeding $910.4 million in infrastructure across Illinois. The bid letting, which took place on June 16, is noted as the largest in IDOT's history, driven by Governor Pritzker's Rebuild Illinois initiative.

"This bid letting is an historic achievement for Illinois and further illustrates the kind of transformational investments being made in the state's infrastructure due to Rebuild Illinois," stated Omer Osman, Illinois Transportation Secretary. He emphasized that communities throughout Illinois are witnessing improvements in transportation systems that enhance safety and reliability.

Significant contracts from this bid letting include $55.4 million for Interstate 80 reconstruction between Minooka and I-55, $18.7 million for interchange reconstruction at Illinois 31 and U.S. 20 in Elgin, and $98.8 million for reconstructing the I-39 and U.S. 20 interchange in Rockford.

In total, 38 contracts exceeded $5 million each. Proposals received will undergo review with contract awards typically occurring within a month, followed by construction commencement soon thereafter.

For fiscal year 2023, IDOT has awarded 785 contracts valued at over $2.5 billion for highway and bridge improvements.

Rebuild Illinois was passed in 2019 as a $33.2 billion investment aimed at modernizing the state's transportation system while creating jobs and fostering economic growth. It marks the largest capital program in state history encompassing roads, bridges, transit, waterways, railways, aviation, as well as bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act also contributes to this effort with an estimated $17.8 billion earmarked for Illinois infrastructure over five years. Of this amount, nearly $16 billion will be allocated to various transportation modes including approximately $9.8 billion dedicated to highways and another $1.4 billion to bridge replacements and repairs.

For more information about IDOT projects or traffic conditions visit www.gettingaroundillinois.com or follow IDOT on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.