Governor Quinn Announces $11 Million Clear Lake Avenue and Dirksen Parkway Construction Project

SPRINGFIELD – August 31, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn joined Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Secretary Gary Hannig and other officials today to announce a three-year construction project to improve safety and traffic congestion at the intersection of Clear Lake Avenue and Dirksen Parkway. The project, which is part of Governor Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! capital program, is expected to create or retain 143 jobs in the Springfield area.

“We are in the middle of the busiest construction season in Illinois history, with projects underway in every corner of the state,” said Governor Quinn. “This project will put people in and around Springfield to work in solid construction jobs, while making an extremely busy city intersection much safer.”

The planned upgrades include patching, milling, widening and the resurfacing of the Clear Lake Avenue and Dirksen Parkway intersection. Additional improvements include: dual left-turn lanes along all four legs, a dual northbound right-turn lane on Dirksen Parkway, a southbound right-turn lane on Dirksen Parkway, an extension of existing eastbound/westbound right-turn lanes on Clear Lake Avenue and other road upgrades.

Additional improvements will include relocating Hill Street and constructing new traffic signals, and constructing frontage roads both north and south along Clear Lake Avenue. Construction will also involve pedestrian improvements, such as sidewalks and curbs compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The estimated $11 million capital construction project is expected to be completed by the end of 2013.

“We are extremely pleased to see this vital project move forward,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig. “Not only will the project help to alleviate congestion and improve traffic safety within the area, but it will also provide smoother access to businesses and lay the foundation for future corridor beautification projects in the city of Springfield.”

Clear Lake Avenue offers the most direct route from major interstates to downtown Springfield and the city’s many Lincoln historical sites. Approximately 44,300 vehicles per day currently utilize the intersection, with traffic flow expected to increase to around 62,300 vehicles per day by the year 2025. The intersection is the seventh busiest in Springfield.

IDOT is currently leading the state’s largest road construction program in state history through the Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program. In 2010, IDOT is investing almost $5 billion to repair or improve 2,450 miles of roads and 331 bridges, which is creating or retaining an estimated 65,000 jobs.