Illinois notes

[edwaleni]

Well Ilinois passed their budget.

https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-passes-55b-budget-with-over-800-million-in-revenue-changes/

But I see some red flags in there. 

They are holding back the motor fuels tax revenue from being transferred to the constitutionally protected transportation lockbox.

By law they are supposed to transfer the collected tax revenue over, but they said they are going to hold on to it and delay the transfer.

This will be around $170 million.

I am wondering if this why the mainline I39 expansion around Rockford is delayed?

Per IDOT District 2, they spent February 2025 setting up the new traffic patterns for the construction season.

On March 25, 2025 they said construction would resume and the majority would be complete before the year end.

[Sapphuby]

I-72/US 36 bridge is down for an entire month for repairs. Traffic is routed to either the US 24 bridges or US 54.

[74/171FAN]

I-72/US 36 bridge is down for an entire month for repairs. Traffic is routed to either the US 24 bridges or US 54.

Hopefully the contractor will be incentivized enough to let me complete clinching I-72 in a few weeks.

[cwm1276]

Well Ilinois passed their budget.

https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-passes-55b-budget-with-over-800-million-in-revenue-changes/

But I see some red flags in there. 

They are holding back the motor fuels tax revenue from being transferred to the constitutionally protected transportation lockbox.

By law they are supposed to transfer the collected tax revenue over, but they said they are going to hold on to it and delay the transfer.

This will be around $170 million.

I am wondering if this why the mainline I39 expansion around Rockford is delayed?

Per IDOT District 2, they spent February 2025 setting up the new traffic patterns for the construction season.

On March 25, 2025 they said construction would resume and the majority would be complete before the year end.

That is only the diverging diamond.  The mainline reconstruction is on the current bid list for notification only.   Mainline construction has not started, when the entire project started they said mainline construction 25-27.  https://www.rebuildi39.com/

[ilpt4u]

https://www.bnd.com/news/local/article308431715.html

https://illinois-department-of-transportation.prezly.com/i-5570-closure-in-madison-county-begins-june-13

IDOT closed 55NB/70EB yesterday June 13th between IL 157 and IL 159 in the St Louis Metro East near Collinsville for bridge repairs

Scheduled to be reopened June 30th.

Preferred detour is 255NB->270EB->55NB or 70EB or 55SB/70WB

[adt1982]

https://www.bnd.com/news/local/article308431715.html

https://illinois-department-of-transportation.prezly.com/i-5570-closure-in-madison-county-begins-june-13

IDOT closed 55NB/70EB yesterday June 13th between IL 157 and IL 159 in the St Louis Metro East near Collinsville for bridge repairs

Scheduled to be reopened June 30th.

Preferred detour is 255NB->270EB->55NB or 70EB or 55SB/70WB

Bridge repairs on that stretch are definitely needed.  I drive 55/70 regularly, and they've been aggressively rehabbing that stretch.

[edwaleni]

https://www.bnd.com/news/local/article308431715.html

https://illinois-department-of-transportation.prezly.com/i-5570-closure-in-madison-county-begins-june-13

IDOT closed 55NB/70EB yesterday June 13th between IL 157 and IL 159 in the St Louis Metro East near Collinsville for bridge repairs

Scheduled to be reopened June 30th.

Preferred detour is 255NB->270EB->55NB or 70EB or 55SB/70WB

Bridge repairs on that stretch are definitely needed.  I drive 55/70 regularly, and they've been aggressively rehabbing that stretch.

With I-255 closed further south until the end of July, that has to make for some interesting detours.

[ilpt4u]

You missed my other post...IDOT reopened 255 this weekend, ahead of schedule

https://illinois-department-of-transportation.prezly.com/faster-cheaper-safer-i-255-work-wraps-up-this-weekend-in-st-clair-county

[edwaleni]

You missed my other post...IDOT reopened 255 this weekend, ahead of schedule

https://illinois-department-of-transportation.prezly.com/faster-cheaper-safer-i-255-work-wraps-up-this-weekend-in-st-clair-county

Thanks, and yes I did miss your post, but my consolation prize is that before I responded I checked Google Maps real quick to see if I-255 was still closed and of course it was still marked as such.

[Lyon Wonder]

There's a rural interaction on US 67 with Woodson-Winchester road south of Jacksonville in central Illinois that's been the scene of more than one deadly collision over the last several years. The section of US 67 that Woodson-Winchester road crosses is the newer 4-lane that first opened 20 years ago in 2005.

That crossing really needs to be grade separated with an interchange and I'm amazed IDOT didn't do this back when 4 lane 67 was first paved in the early 2000s.

https://wlds.com/pittsfield-high-school-petitions-for-safer-intersection-after-fatal-accident/

https://maps.app.goo.gl/6WL3fLGoqTzS2URs8

[JREwing78]

There's a rural interaction on US 67 with Woodson-Winchester road south of Jacksonville in central Illinois that's been the scene of more than one deadly collision over the last several years. The section of US 67 that Woodson-Winchester road crosses is the newer 4-lane that first opened 20 years ago in 2005.

That crossing really needs to be grade separated with an interchange and I'm amazed IDOT didn't do this back when 4 lane 67 was first paved in the early 2000s.

https://wlds.com/pittsfield-high-school-petitions-for-safer-intersection-after-fatal-accident/

https://maps.app.goo.gl/6WL3fLGoqTzS2URs8

I'm not seeing anything obviously amiss here besides the inevitable consequences of inattentive driving. A J-turn intersection would likely do the trick. 

[edwaleni]

There's a rural interaction on US 67 with Woodson-Winchester road south of Jacksonville in central Illinois that's been the scene of more than one deadly collision over the last several years. The section of US 67 that Woodson-Winchester road crosses is the newer 4-lane that first opened 20 years ago in 2005.

That crossing really needs to be grade separated with an interchange and I'm amazed IDOT didn't do this back when 4 lane 67 was first paved in the early 2000s.

https://wlds.com/pittsfield-high-school-petitions-for-safer-intersection-after-fatal-accident/

https://maps.app.goo.gl/6WL3fLGoqTzS2URs8

I'm not seeing anything obviously amiss here besides the inevitable consequences of inattentive driving. A J-turn intersection would likely do the trick.

There have been similar accidents on US-51 south of Decatur where it is no longer controlled access.

Not all at once obviously, but the crossing at Assumption has been prone to several over the years.

@Rick Powell could probably shed more light on it, I think this (US-51) was one of his projects, but its just one of the issues of running these non-Interstate 4 lane designs, where the speeds are much higher than what the roads and its crossings were designed for.

[Lyon Wonder]

There's a rural interaction on US 67 with Woodson-Winchester road south of Jacksonville in central Illinois that's been the scene of more than one deadly collision over the last several years. The section of US 67 that Woodson-Winchester road crosses is the newer 4-lane that first opened 20 years ago in 2005.

That crossing really needs to be grade separated with an interchange and I'm amazed IDOT didn't do this back when 4 lane 67 was first paved in the early 2000s.

https://wlds.com/pittsfield-high-school-petitions-for-safer-intersection-after-fatal-accident/

https://maps.app.goo.gl/6WL3fLGoqTzS2URs8

I'm not seeing anything obviously amiss here besides the inevitable consequences of inattentive driving. A J-turn intersection would likely do the trick.

There have been similar accidents on US-51 south of Decatur where it is no longer controlled access.

Not all at once obviously, but the crossing at Assumption has been prone to several over the years.

@Rick Powell could probably shed more light on it, I think this (US-51) was one of his projects, but its just one of the issues of running these non-Interstate 4 lane designs, where the speeds are much higher than what the roads and its crossings were designed for.

IDOT didn't make this mistake at Concord-Arenzville Road when they upgraded 67 west of Jacksonville to 4 lanes several years later in the early 2010s. It got a full interchange.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/N9gFkoUg6UGJk1Gq8

[Rick Powell]

@Rick Powell could probably shed more light on it, I think this (US-51) was one of his projects, but its just one of the issues of running these non-Interstate 4 lane designs, where the speeds are much higher than what the roads and its crossings were designed for.

The 4-laning of US 51 south of Decatur was done by District 5, and except for the grade separated interchanges at IL 48 and Business 51 at Elwin was designed with at-grade intersections. I was not involved with this one. When I was previously at District 3, we designed the 4-lane expressway section of US 51 from I-74 to Heyworth in McLean County (which was later transferred to District 5). We did a grade-separated interchange at US 136 at Heyworth while the others were at-grade, but most of those at-grade intersections are low volume roads where there has not been a history of crashes like the one at Assumption.  One of the at-grades we built (At County Highway 30, just south of the I-74 interchange) was originally built with stop signs on the county legs but later signalized, but no other changes were done, or are contemplated that I know of in that stretch.

[edwaleni]

There's a rural interaction on US 67 with Woodson-Winchester road south of Jacksonville in central Illinois that's been the scene of more than one deadly collision over the last several years. The section of US 67 that Woodson-Winchester road crosses is the newer 4-lane that first opened 20 years ago in 2005.

That crossing really needs to be grade separated with an interchange and I'm amazed IDOT didn't do this back when 4 lane 67 was first paved in the early 2000s.

https://wlds.com/pittsfield-high-school-petitions-for-safer-intersection-after-fatal-accident/

https://maps.app.goo.gl/6WL3fLGoqTzS2URs8

I'm not seeing anything obviously amiss here besides the inevitable consequences of inattentive driving. A J-turn intersection would likely do the trick.

There have been similar accidents on US-51 south of Decatur where it is no longer controlled access.

Not all at once obviously, but the crossing at Assumption has been prone to several over the years.

@Rick Powell could probably shed more light on it, I think this (US-51) was one of his projects, but its just one of the issues of running these non-Interstate 4 lane designs, where the speeds are much higher than what the roads and its crossings were designed for.

IDOT didn't make this mistake at Concord-Arenzville Road when they upgraded 67 west of Jacksonville to 4 lanes several years later in the early 2010s. It got a full interchange.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/N9gFkoUg6UGJk1Gq8

That makes sense because I would wager the studies showed that traffic between Beardstown and Jacksonville don't use US-67 just to swing by Meredosia. They go a geographically more direct route through Arenzville.

[edwaleni]

@Rick Powell could probably shed more light on it, I think this (US-51) was one of his projects, but its just one of the issues of running these non-Interstate 4 lane designs, where the speeds are much higher than what the roads and its crossings were designed for.

The 4-laning of US 51 south of Decatur was done by District 5, and except for the grade separated interchanges at IL 48 and Business 51 at Elwin was designed with at-grade intersections. I was not involved with this one. When I was previously at District 3, we designed the 4-lane expressway section of US 51 from I-74 to Heyworth in McLean County (which was later transferred to District 5). We did a grade-separated interchange at US 136 at Heyworth while the others were at-grade, but most of those at-grade intersections are low volume roads where there has not been a history of crashes like the one at Assumption.  One of the at-grades we built (At County Highway 30, just south of the I-74 interchange) was originally built with stop signs on the county legs but later signalized, but no other changes were done, or are contemplated that I know of in that stretch.

Not sure if the research supports it, but I do wonder if the designs that alternate between controlled access to ground level intersections and back cause a false sense of safety.

I have driven US-41 extensively in NW Indiana which was converted to 4 lanes in the late 1950's before Interstate 65 was built and almost all of the intersections are ground level and there were always accidents between Kentland and Schneider until I-65 was built. (FWIW: Now that I-65 is congested, I periodically go back to US-41)

The section of US-20 between Freeport and Dubuque is another area where it is 4 lane, but has ground level crossings, is well known for its history of disasterous accidents.

I havent seen any data (but have driven) on US-36 between Hannibal and St Joseph in Missouri, where it is a hodge podge of limited access and ground level crossings of various quality due to it being built over different generations and levels of funding.

It's a tough call for IDOT planners who have to accomodate the many farmers who have to access fields on both sides of a highway, but don't have a budget to limit the access or build agriculture overpasses.

[Revive 755]

That makes sense because I would wager the studies showed that traffic between Beardstown and Jacksonville don't use US-67 just to swing by Meredosia. They go a geographically more direct route through Arenzville.

Using Google Maps, I only get a difference of 4.1 miles, US 67 being 26.7 miles, the route through Arenzville being 22.6 miles, starting from near the merge with IL 104 at Jacksonville to the west side of the US 67/IL 125 intersection in Jacksonville.  The drive time comes out the same, probably due to the more direct route going through Arenzville and Concord, versus US 67 not having any towns.

[74/171FAN]

I-72/US 36 bridge is down for an entire month for repairs. Traffic is routed to either the US 24 bridges or US 54.

Hopefully the contractor will be incentivized enough to let me complete clinching I-72 in a few weeks.

The bridge reopened to one lane in each direction on June 18th.

[SpringfieldSteven]

There's a rural interaction on US 67 with Woodson-Winchester road south of Jacksonville in central Illinois that's been the scene of more than one deadly collision over the last several years. The section of US 67 that Woodson-Winchester road crosses is the newer 4-lane that first opened 20 years ago in 2005.

That crossing really needs to be grade separated with an interchange and I'm amazed IDOT didn't do this back when 4 lane 67 was first paved in the early 2000s.

https://wlds.com/pittsfield-high-school-petitions-for-safer-intersection-after-fatal-accident/

https://maps.app.goo.gl/6WL3fLGoqTzS2URs8

I'm not seeing anything obviously amiss here besides the inevitable consequences of inattentive driving. A J-turn intersection would likely do the trick.

There have been similar accidents on US-51 south of Decatur where it is no longer controlled access.

Not all at once obviously, but the crossing at Assumption has been prone to several over the years.

@Rick Powell could probably shed more light on it, I think this (US-51) was one of his projects, but its just one of the issues of running these non-Interstate 4 lane designs, where the speeds are much higher than what the roads and its crossings were designed for.

IDOT didn't make this mistake at Concord-Arenzville Road when they upgraded 67 west of Jacksonville to 4 lanes several years later in the early 2010s. It got a full interchange.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/N9gFkoUg6UGJk1Gq8

That makes sense because I would wager the studies showed that traffic between Beardstown and Jacksonville don't use US-67 just to swing by Meredosia. They go a geographically more direct route through Arenzville.

If memory serves me correctly, the interchange at Concord and Arenzville had a lot to do with the concern about school buses from Triopia getting to the other side of U.S. 67. Triopia School District officials likely shared their concerns during the environmental review process whereas the Jacksonville School District probably did not really consider Woodson-Winchester Road crossing U.S. 67.

[edwaleni]

If memory serves me correctly, the interchange at Concord and Arenzville had a lot to do with the concern about school buses from Triopia getting to the other side of U.S. 67. Triopia School District officials likely shared their concerns during the environmental review process whereas the Jacksonville School District probably did not really consider Woodson-Winchester Road crossing U.S. 67.

Does the Town of Chapin attend Triopia D27?

As far as Winchester-Woodson goes, Winchester has their own school district and is not aligned to Jacksonville. Woodson and Murrayville consolidated their schools, but the high school age is now bused up to Jacksonville.  Both towns reside on the old-US 67 which is now IL-267, so I can't imagine the buses would go so far out of the way and get on the current US 67 to reach town.

I would think residents of Winchester would use the old US-36 to go up to I-72.

[Rothman]

I-72 bridge over the Mississippi is now open one lane in each direction.

Contractor saw incentive and snagged it.

[Sapphuby]

I-72 bridge over the Mississippi is now open one lane in each direction.

Contractor saw incentive and snagged it.

They actually did something. I noticed the bridge was open when the detour signs went down in my city about 3-4 days ago, so it's been open for some time. They're cleaning up, so it'll be fully open very, very soon, and I can take my shortcut again.

[Rothman]

I-72 bridge over the Mississippi is now open one lane in each direction.

Contractor saw incentive and snagged it.

They actually did something. I noticed the bridge was open when the detour signs went down in my city about 3-4 days ago, so it's been open for some time. They're cleaning up, so it'll be fully open very, very soon, and I can take my shortcut again.

I'm surprised it will be fully open soon.  News reports I saw said one lane open in both directions, so I assumed more significant repairs were ongoing.

[ilpt4u]

In Southern Illinois news, the final segment yet to be 6-laned of IL 13 between Carbondale and Marion is set to begin preliminary construction on June 30th. On the western edge of Williamson County, this is where 13 is at the northern edge of Crab Orchard Lake, including 2 sets of bridges over northern fingers of the lake, and an intersection with Cambria Rd

It is gonna be ugly while in progress but gonna be beautiful when done. Lots of commuter traffic on this part of the 13 cooridor, both directions AM and PM rushes

[Sapphuby]

I-72 bridge over the Mississippi is now open one lane in each direction.

Contractor saw incentive and snagged it.

They actually did something. I noticed the bridge was open when the detour signs went down in my city about 3-4 days ago, so it's been open for some time. They're cleaning up, so it'll be fully open very, very soon, and I can take my shortcut again.

I'm surprised it will be fully open soon.  News reports I saw said one lane open in both directions, so I assumed more significant repairs were ongoing.

It's much more local to me, so I have a bit more information on it, and more of the information tends to stay in local news channels and websites, so yes, the bridge is just being cleaned of equipment, which should take maybe a week maximum.