Morris Daily Herald
August 26, 2004
By Jo Ann Hustis
Herald Writer
Grundy County can benefit from renewal of the federal transportation bill now under scrutiny in the legislature.
Congressman Jerry Weller, R-Morris, told a roomful of community leaders Wednesday the House version of the bill
would return to Illinois 97 cents for each $1 motorists pay in federal gasoline taxes.
The Senate version of the bill offers Illinois 95 cents on each $1, Weller said during a breakfast meeting at the
Grundy County Administration Center in Morris.
Illinois currently receives 93 cents per dollar in federal gasoline taxes.
“The House and Senate are now compromising their differences — they are $2 billion apart,” he said.
The House version of the bill would mean an additional $230 million per year to be spent on bridges and highways
in Illinois, Weller noted.
Expectations are the legislation will win approval this winter or early next spring.
In commenting on transportation issues in general, Weller noted the Brisbin Road interchange on Interstate 80 is
currently his No. 1 project for federal funding, at $6 million in the highway bill, with the state making up the
balance.
“Our goal is to have the interchange under construction in 2007, if we keep on schedule,” Weller said in committing
himself to working toward completion of the project.
Carita Lao, program development engineer for District 3, Illinois Department of Transportation, said the state
anticipates the start of Phase 2 of the project this winter. Phase 2 would take about 18 to 24 months to complete.
Construction could start in 2007, she said, and possibly be done in two years.
She said federal money for the interchange is included in the government’s five-year plan.
The Grundy Economic Development Council sponsored the breakfast meeting, with Executive Director Nancy Ammer and
Business Administrator Dan Duffy as hosts.
Weller, a fifth-term congressman, told the more than 40 people in attendance that, through his time in the General
Assembly in Springfield and now in Washington, the single most-asked question was that of the Morris Bridge replacement.
“In a matter of weeks, we’ll be driving over a new, four-lane bridge,” Weller said of the mid-October completion
date. “The federal highway bill made that project happen.”
Regarding the proposed Prairie Parkway project to connect Interstate 88 with I-80 three miles west of Minooka,
Weller told the audience the proposal is the goal of House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Yorkville.
“The Prairie Parkway corridor is where it is because of Speaker Hastert. It’s his No. 1 project. He’s the muscle
behind that,” Weller said, noting the proposal will be an improvement for the Grundy County region.
Lao noted the state began data gathering on the parkway proposal in January 2003, and wrapped up the study last
March.
“Now we’re beginning alternatives analysis,” she said, noting the corridor study area covers 1,600 square miles.
“We’re looking at alternatives to the route.”
Lao said IDOT will do a random telephone survey this fall of people’s problems and solutions to transportation
in the area. A public hearing will be scheduled later.
New District 3 Engineer John Kos told of reconstruction on I-80 and widening and other work on Interstate 55. This
would include rebuilding the intersection of the two interstates in Joliet, a project that will probably begin
next year.
Kos also said the biggest project for the district is the Prairie Parkway proposal.
Other funding in the federal transportation bill would help pay for widening Arsenal Road, a two-lane highway from
Interstate 80 to the intermodal rail shipping terminal at the former Joliet Arsenal.
Widening Arsenal Road would help move the truck traffic generated by the shipping terminal, he said.
Weller said several million dollars has been set aside in the bill for improvements to the EJ & E Railroad
Bridge across the Illinois River east of Morris. He also said he would check on when work would begin on the project.
County Engineer Craig Cassem gave a short overview of county projects.