A weekly update on issues from Illinois State Senator Gary Forby

About this time every year, the start of a new construction season begins here in Illinois. Construction projects are important for our state. They mean job creation and economic development, which are both currently lagging behind the national trend. However, with last year’s passage of the first capitol construction project in over a decade, this year’s construction season is adding up to be one of the biggest in Illinois’ history and will lots of job creation to our state. It is crucial to invest in the people of our state by creating and retaining full-time, quality jobs in order to jump-start our economy.

This week, Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig unveiled a near-$13 billion Multi-Year Highway Improvement Program planned for the next six years. The proposed program aims to preserve the state’s highway system with enhancement projects like road and bridge maintenance, facility upgrades, highway safety improvements and roadway expansion for highways with high amounts of traffic congestion. The funds for the highway improvement programs are based upon grants received from federal sources as well as state funds from the "Jump Start Capitol Plan" and "Illinois Jobs Now!" program. According to Illinois highway officials, the Multi-Year Plan (MYP) is expected to create an estimated 167,000 jobs over the next six years. These projects are all aimed to spur economic development in our state while getting a beneficial investment in return.

Locally, the highway improvement projects in our district this coming year will add up to almost 40 miles of construction and total over $32 million. However, over the next five years, our district will see almost 300 miles of construction improvements and repairs totaling over $380 million. The bottom line is that we need to put people back to work in our state rebuilding our roads and bridges, improving highway conditions and reinvesting in our state’s infrastructure.

Although construction season means economic development for Illinois, it also means that more workers will be working on the roadways. I encourage every motorist to slow down and respect the work zones. Each year in April, National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is held to bring national attention to motorist and worker safety and mobility issues in work zones. With all the construction planned for the months ahead, this could not be a better time to promote safety in work zones throughout Illinois. According to the US Department of Transportation, NWZAW began in late 1999. This year, the work zone awareness week will be honored from April 19-23. I encourage every motorist in Southern Illinois to use caution when they are approaching a work zone and pay close attention to the workers helping to get our state back on track.