Illinois notes

[captkirk_4]

A trip down the length of Illinois last week gave me a chance to see three major projects of interest.

Next up was the interchange reconstruction in Champaign between I-57 and I-74.  The two new flyovers had most of their beams in place, if I recall.  I think I even noticed some deck pouring on one of them.

Nope, they only have the beams laid for one of the flyovers. No repositioning of the cranes at all over the last month or so since they finished laying the WB74-SB57 beams to work on the other one nor do I see any work on the top of the columns to add the beam attachments that they put in first. They whole project is not going very fast, they still have to finish the new main 74 lanes over 57 and I saw a cement tube recently so perhaps the first half of the bridges are getting done soon. But I don't see any pavement on the flyover beams yet.

[paulthemapguy]

I was thinking that the 57/74 interchange would be done by late 2024, but even the project website now says the project will continue into 2026.

[captkirk_4]

I was thinking that the 57/74 interchange would be done by late 2024, but even the project website now says the project will continue into 2026.

That highway work in Effingham seemed to be torn up for a decade and Kankakee seems to be always under construction. I remember going to that Eclipse in 2017 and last year when I drove the same stretch they had only been able to six lane another 10 miles or so. No rush to get anything done anymore.

[paulthemapguy]

I was thinking that the 57/74 interchange would be done by late 2024, but even the project website now says the project will continue into 2026.

That highway work in Effingham seemed to be torn up for a decade and Kankakee seems to be always under construction. I remember going to that Eclipse in 2017 and last year when I drove the same stretch they had only been able to six lane another 10 miles or so. No rush to get anything done anymore.

The only piece they were planning to widen was the six-mile section concurrent with I-70.  No other piece of I-57 in central Illinois needs to be six-laned.

[hobsini2]

I was thinking that the 57/74 interchange would be done by late 2024, but even the project website now says the project will continue into 2026.

That highway work in Effingham seemed to be torn up for a decade and Kankakee seems to be always under construction. I remember going to that Eclipse in 2017 and last year when I drove the same stretch they had only been able to six lane another 10 miles or so. No rush to get anything done anymore.

The only piece they were planning to widen was the six-mile section concurrent with I-70.  No other piece of I-57 in central Illinois needs to be six-laned.

I-57 should be 6 (or 8 where indicated) lanes as follows in my opinion:
I-24 Pulley's Mill to I-64 WEST Mt Vernon (the concurrency with I-64 is 6 lanes)
I-70 WEST Effingham to I-70 EAST Effingham (existing 6 lanes)
Monticello Rd Savoy to US 136 Rantoul
US 45/52 Kankakee to Bourbonnais Pkwy Bourbonnais
Stuenkel Rd/University Pkwy Richton Park to I-80
I-80 to I-294 (existing 6 lanes needs to be 8 lanes)
I-294 to IL 1 Halsted St (existing 6 lanes)
IL 1 Halsted St to I-94 (existing 8 lanes)

[ilpt4u]

57 6-lanes between 24 and 64 is in progress and is funded. It is only a few miles every few years, but the 51 mile trip will be done in the next 5ish years, 10 max

[edwaleni]

I was thinking that the 57/74 interchange would be done by late 2024, but even the project website now says the project will continue into 2026.

That highway work in Effingham seemed to be torn up for a decade and Kankakee seems to be always under construction. I remember going to that Eclipse in 2017 and last year when I drove the same stretch they had only been able to six lane another 10 miles or so. No rush to get anything done anymore.

Illinois was functionally broke in 2017. All IDOT projects were on a slow path to completion.

A constitutional amendment and double the taxes, its a different story today.

[Brandon]

I was thinking that the 57/74 interchange would be done by late 2024, but even the project website now says the project will continue into 2026.

That highway work in Effingham seemed to be torn up for a decade and Kankakee seems to be always under construction. I remember going to that Eclipse in 2017 and last year when I drove the same stretch they had only been able to six lane another 10 miles or so. No rush to get anything done anymore.

Illinois was functionally broke in 2017. All IDOT projects were on a slow path to completion.

A constitutional amendment and double the taxes, its a different story today.

The constitutional amendment banned the General Assembly from using the gas tax money to fill other holes in their budget.  That money got put in a "lockbox" for IDOT only.  This is pretty much why IDOT has any money today.

[hobsini2]

I was thinking that the 57/74 interchange would be done by late 2024, but even the project website now says the project will continue into 2026.

That highway work in Effingham seemed to be torn up for a decade and Kankakee seems to be always under construction. I remember going to that Eclipse in 2017 and last year when I drove the same stretch they had only been able to six lane another 10 miles or so. No rush to get anything done anymore.

Illinois was functionally broke in 2017. All IDOT projects were on a slow path to completion.

A constitutional amendment and double the taxes, its a different story today.

The constitutional amendment banned the General Assembly from using the gas tax money to fill other holes in their budget.  That money got put in a "lockbox" for IDOT only.  This is pretty much why IDOT has any money today.

As it should be. IMO, gas taxes and tolls should only be for transportation (roads, rail & air) upkeep and construction.