January 26, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CITY TO RECEIVE FUNDS FOR CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS
DECATUR - The City will continue efforts to spruce up community corridors this spring thanks in part to a commitment of up to $1 million in federal transportation grant funds.
The State of Illinois announced recently that the City would be awarded the grant as part of its Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program, the purpose for which is to improve “the cultural, historic, aesthetic and environmental aspects of our transportation infrastructure.” The funds will be used to improve the appearance of two of Decatur’s primary entryways – U.S. 51 and U.S. Route 36/Edorado Street – specifically through the addition of bridge and overpass treatments, monuments and landmarks.
ITEP is supported through federal funds but the application process is administered through the State of Illinois.
The aesthetic appearance of the two corridors can dramatically influence impressions that motorists and pedestrians have about the city and the goal is to project a positive image to both visitors and residents traveling along the two routes. Motorists may have noticed that many of the overpasses along both corridors, while safe and functional, are in desperate need of aesthetic improvements.
The funds are designated specifically for the corridor improvements and cannot be used for other projects or general city operations.
“Our corridors play an important yet often overlooked part in crafting the city’s image, helping to define how we see ourselves and how others view the community,” said Greg Crowe, Assistant City Manager for Economic and Urban Development. “The corridors are often the first impression given to potential employers or residents relocating to our community and this funding will help us to put our best foot forward.”
The award is the second ITEP grant from the state, bringing the total program award thus far to $2.5 million. An earlier grant is being used to improve the Eldorado Street corridor from Church St. east to the Illinois Central Railroad.
The city has also been able to make a significant number of bridge and corridor improvements through other sources of state, federal and private funding in recent years. Work was recently completed to make the Garfield Avenue Bridge safe for heavy loads through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus) funds, and improvements to the overpass spanning West Main St. between Oakland and Fairview Avenues were funded in part through $1.5 million in federal funding.
The MacArthur Road Bridge just north of Ash Avenue will be replaced in the spring through a combination of stimulus and Federal Surface Transportation Program (STP-U) funds totaling $800,000. The Canadian National Railroad in late 2009 funded the rehabilitation of the Prairie Avenue bridge just east of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive at a cost of about $350,000.
“Our community will have benefited from millions of dollars in needed infrastructure improvements through funding from sources other than direct local investment,” said Mayor Mike McElroy. “We are especially appreciative of the support of our state and federal senators and representatives and also want to thank the State of Illinois for their support in making this funding a reality.
“The Decatur City Council has also remained committed to these public improvements even in the midst of budget difficulties and it has been through outside funding like this that we have been able to get a lot of work done with less direct burden on the local taxpayer.”
For more information contact Billy Tyus at 424-2753.