Governor Ryan Announces $184 Million in Illinois FIRST Funds for Continuation of Illinois 336 Construction

QUINCY -- Governor George H. Ryan today announced that $184 million has been included in the Department of Transportation's five-year highway improvement program to fully fund completion of US 136/Illinois 336 between Quincy and Macomb.

"This is the delivery of an Illinois FIRST project of great importance to west central Illinois," Ryan said. "Completion of this 60 mile highway will open the region to further economic development.

"In Fiscal Year 2002, I have included $27.9 million for continued construction work on Illinois 336. This includes construction of 7.5 miles of four-lane highway on new location from north of Illinois 94 to 3 miles south of Carthage, and 1.2 miles of additional lanes along US 136 from County Highway 18 west of Macomb to Deere Road."

An additional $2.8 million is included in FY 2002 for engineering work on the segments from south of Carthage to two miles east of Carthage, and from east of Illinois 61 to Township Road 266 near Macomb. The remaining engineering and construction work will be placed under contract between FY 2003-2006.

Work is currently under way on the section from Illinois 61 near Mendon to one mile north of Illinois 94. That four-lane section is expected to be completed by late 2001. To date nearly $88 million in work has been completed or is under contract.

The US 136/Illinois 336 work is part of IDOT's $10 billion multi-year highway program for FY 2002-2006. The program is aimed at the repair existing highways, construction of new roads, and projects to ease congestion and improve safety.