SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) has announced that the new Illinois Department of Transportation five-year highway construction program includes major investments in roads in the Aurora area, to the tune of $10.8 million in improvements.

In the multi-year plan’s first year, a project on Route 31/Lake Street from Rathbone Avenue in Southwest Aurora to Webster Street/Aucutt Road in Montgomery is already nearing completion. Started in September, the $850,000 project includes 1.22 miles of asphalt resurfacing and ADA compliant crosswalks and ramps. It is scheduled for completion in November.

“These are long overdue issues for safety and traffic flow on Lake Street,” Holmes said. “I’m pleased to already see positive results this funding is bringing to our community, and I look forward to more projects ahead in this multi-year plan.”

This is one of five separate projects in Holmes’ district, totaling approximately $10.8 million. The other four jobs to commence within the plan years of 2021 through 2025 include:

• $1.5 million in intersection improvements at U.S. Route 34/Ogden Avenue and Rickert Drive in Naperville;
• $1.55 million for 1.7 miles of overlay and milled rumble strips at Route 25/Broadway Street from Hazel Avenue to the Kendall County line in Aurora and Montgomery;
• $1 million for lane, traffic signal and ADA improvements at Route 31/Lake Street at I-88 ramps in North Aurora;
• $500,000 for 1.46 miles of pavement rehabilitation and ADA improvements at Routes 56 and 31, I-88 to River Street and East of Downen Drive / Wagner Road to Indian Creek in North Aurora and Aurora.

The Highway Improvement Program released by Gov. JB Pritzker and a bipartisan group of lawmakers includes $23.5 billion for improving and expanding roads and bridges throughout Illinois, more than doubling funding over the previous 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.

“Along with finally repairing roads and bridges, the Rebuild Illinois program and this Multi-Year Plan will put thousands of people to work in Illinois. This will boost our economy for years to come,” Holmes said.

Holmes supported legislation for the statewide construction plan during the spring legislative session of the General Assembly.