SPRINGFIELD - Major investments in Old Route 66, Interstate 55, and Illinois Route 16 in Montgomery County will be included in the Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) new five-year infrastructure plan, State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) announced this week.

The Multi-Year Plan released by Governor JB Pritzker and a bipartisan group of lawmakers on Monday designates $49.8 million for resurfacing, new bridge decks and other improvements to I-55 within Montgomery County, including $22 million for pavement rehabilitation over the nine-mile stretch between IL-16 and IL-108.

The plan also includes $7 million for pavement rehabilitation to IL-16 over the 13-mile stretch from Frey Ave. in Schram City to Gibson St. in Nokomis.

Old Route 66 will receive $3.4 million worth of pavement rehabilitation to the 1.7-mile stretch south of the Sangamon County line, the three-mile stretch between IL-127 and IL-108, and from 3.5 miles north of Farmersville to just east of I-55.

“Safe and reliable transportation is imperative to our economic viability and way of life in Central Illinois, especially in rural communities where ambulances, school buses, and commuting workers spend more time on the road,” Manar said. “These much-needed improvements will foster economic growth, create good-paying jobs, and make daily transportation safer for Montgomery County families. I’m thankful that IDOT is making these improvements a top priority and look forward to working with them to see these projects through.”

Manar led negotiation efforts on the statewide construction plan on behalf of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus during the spring legislative session of the General Assembly.

The projects in Montgomery County are among 110 separate projects in the Senate district Manar represents, totaling approximately $357 million. These projects include major bridge repairs and the resurfacing of 250 miles of state roads.

In total, IDOT’s statewide program will invest $23.5 billion in improving and expanding roads and bridges throughout Illinois, more than double the size of the previous year’s Multi-Year Plan. Projects outlined in the plan will cover 4,212 miles of roadway and 9.2 million square feet of bridge deck statewide between 2020 and 2025.

Click here for a complete list of projects in Montgomery County.