The Illinois Department of Transportation on Friday unveiled a plan for spending nearly $41 billion in federal, state and local funds over the next six years to repair and upgrade roads, bridges, airports, rail lines and other infrastructure throughout the state.

The latest version of the plan, which IDOT updates annually, is the largest multiyear plan in state history. It’s driven by the state’s 2019 Rebuild Illinois capital infrastructure program.

The metro east and surrounding southwestern Illinois counties will receive $3 billion in funding from the state for infrastructure projects over these six years.

In the metro east, Route 3 in St. Clair County will get the most funding at $305.5 million, according to IDOT. This project includes grading and paving a four-mile stretch from Monsanto Avenue in Sauget to River Park Drive in East St. Louis. 

A 2.7-mile stretch of I-55 and I-64 in East St. Louis will receive $288.3 million for the Poplar Street Bridge and road repairs from the Mississippi River to the I-64 interchange.

In both Monroe and St. Clair counties, a nearly 21-mile portion of I-255 will undergo $188.3 million in bridge repairs and replacement as part of this project. It will start near Columbia city limits and extend north to Cahokia Heights.

The initial six-year Rebuild Illinois plan included $33.2 billion for transportation – funded largely by annualized increases to the state’s motor fuel tax and increases to driving-related licensing fees that took effect in 2020.

More than half of the plan ($27 billion) will go toward road and bridge projects – including $4.6 billion in the current fiscal year. That will fund repair and reconstruction of 2,866 miles of roadway and 9.8 million square feet of bridge deck on the state highway system, along with another 738 miles of roadway and 1.1 million square feet of bridge deck in systems maintained by local governments.

The plan also earmarks $13.96 billion for other modes of transportation, including $9.85 billion for transit systems, $2.67 billion for freight and passenger rail, $1.25 billion for aviation projects, and $190 million for ports and waterways.

Pritzker and other officials emphasized that Rebuild Illinois is meant to do more than improve safety and efficiency in transportation. The program is also supporting thousands of high-paying jobs in construction, engineering and other fields.

Through four years of Rebuild Illinois, IDOT has completed $12.1 billion of improvements statewide – including 5,339 miles of highway, 533 bridges, and 762 other safety improvements.

(Capitol News Illinois and St. Louis Public Radio provided information for this article)