Governor Quinn Announces $61 Million Reconstruction of I-57/70 and U.S. Route 45 Interchange at Effingham

EFFINGHAM – Governor Pat Quinn today announced a capital investment of more than $61 million to reconstruct the Interstate 57/70 and U.S. Route 45 interchange at Effingham. This Illinois Jobs Now! project is part of Governor Quinn’s agenda to create jobs and drive Illinois’ economy forward.

“This project will improve this vital and well-used highway junction to make travel in the Effingham area safer and more efficient,” Governor Quinn said. “The project will also create hundreds of local construction jobs, which will help the local economy.”

The I-57/70 and U.S. Route 45 interchange will be completely reconstructed with two new bridges, culverts, storm sewers, pavement and lighting. The project also involves 2.7 miles of interstate reconstruction and resurfacing from west of Fourth Street to east of Township Road 258. The $61,636,289 project will be done by McCarthy Improvement Company of Davenport, Iowa, the lowest of three bidders, using local workers. The project will be complete in early 2015 and will be managed by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

This project is part of Governor Quinn’s $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! program, which will support more than 439,000 jobs over six years. Illinois Jobs Now! is the largest capital construction program in Illinois history, and is one of the largest capital construction programs in the nation.