Governor Quinn Announces $171,000 to Renovate Highway Maintenance Facilities in Southern Illinois

VIENNA – Governor Pat Quinn today announced an investment of $171,000 to renovate Illinois Department of Transportation highway maintenance facilities in Vienna, Dixon Springs, Carbondale, Cairo and Murphysboro. Funded by his Illinois Jobs Now! capital program, the projects are part of Governor Quinn’s commitment to creating jobs and driving Illinois’ economy forward.

“This winter has caused us to realize just how vital these seemingly mundane facilities can be, and properly repairing and maintaining them will help us get ready for next year’s winter,” Governor Quinn said. “The projects will also employ a number of construction workers, which will drive local economies forward.”

The projects involve roof repairs at the Vienna and Dixon Springs Maintenance Yards salt storage domes and the Carbondale Survey/Utility Land Acquisition Building Annex. A new septic system will be installed at the Cairo Maintenance yard, and the electrical system will be upgraded at the Murphysboro Maintenance Yard Garage/Maintenance Building. Two contracts were awarded for the work. RJS Constructors, Inc. of Peoria was the lower of two bidders for the general construction work at $115,940. The electrical work will be performed by W.J. Burke Electric Company of Murphysboro, the lower of two bidders at $55,750. The projects will be managed by the Illinois Capital Development Board.

“Capital construction projects allow for an important investment in our roads, bridges and highway maintenance facilities to create jobs and put Southern Illinoisans back to work, ” State Representative Brandon Phelps (D-Harrisburg) said. “I am encouraged by the progress we are seeing with projects like this that will help better serve the area, especially given the extreme winter we have seen so far.”

The projects are 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.