May 27, 2021
New Multi-Year Program continues Rebuild Illinois’ progress
On May 19, Gov. JB Pritzker released the $20.7 billion Multi-Year Program for IDOT, made possible by the historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program. Over the next six years of this program, IDOT aims to improve roads and bridges and ensure Illinois remains the country’s top transportation network.

"With all that's been built over the last two years, even through a global pandemic, today we are announcing the new Multi-Year Program for the next six years that will reconstruct over 2,700 more miles of roads and nearly 8 million square feet of bridges. And of course, the projects in this MYP will continue to create and support hundreds of thousands of jobs for hardworking Illinoisans across our state, bolstering our pandemic recovery in yet one more way," said Gov. Pritzker. "Rebuild Illinois is about investing for the future — supporting this generation and the next, making sure we have good jobs and the roads to get there, and building a state where opportunity is just around the corner for everyone, no matter where you're standing."

Included in the program are a multitude of projects that will create economic opportunity, enhance quality of life and improve safety on both the IDOT and local transportation systems. Of the $20.7 billion committed over the next six years, $3.32 billion has been identified for the upcoming fiscal year.

Click here to learn more about the Multi-Year Program, access downloadable factsheets and find out about projects in your community.
Employee spotlight:
Engineer of Day Labor Michael Walton
It takes a special set of skills to respond at a moment’s notice to perform emergency road and bridge repairs throughout Illinois. Michael Walton and the team he leads at the Bureau of Operations Day Labor — IDOT’s in-house construction company — work daily to make the impossible happen.

“It’s really rewarding to provide the districts and other state agencies with the manpower, equipment and specialized skills that our crews have in addressing the projects we repair every year,” Walton said of the depth and breadth of services his team brings to the table. “Our managers, supervisors, full-time and part-time personnel bring together skill sets of several trades from unions throughout the state, spend time away from their families and often work long hours to address the growing needs. Working together with these people has made this job enjoyable.”

Read more about Walton’s thoughts about his job at IDOT.
IDOT earned accolades from the Illinois chapter of the American Public Works Association for three projects that increased motorist and pedestrian safety and preserved a popular historical attraction.
In District 6, the Ash Street underpass in Springfield took APWA’s “Project of the Year” in the $5 million to $25 million category. The project — a collaboration with IDOT, the city of Springfield, the Illinois
Commerce Commission and other stakeholders — upgraded the Norfolk Southern Railroad and added tracks for the Union Pacific Railroad to create additional capacity to accommodate future freight traffic and passenger trains in the Chicago to St. Louis rail corridor. The underpass replaces an at-grade crossing and includes a four-lane street with pedestrian accommodations. 
A project to reconstruct Miller City Road in District 9 was awarded the APWA’s "Best Disaster or Emergency Construction/Repair” of less than $5 million. The road, a major farming and commuter artery in southern Illinois, was destroyed by flooding in spring 2020. Although conventional repairs would have taken at least a year, the road was rebuilt in 3 months as a result of an emergency declaration by Gov. Pritzker that made repairs eligible for Federal Highway Administration funding and coordination between IDOT and Alexander County.
The Old Route 66 concrete patching between Chenoa and Pontiac in District 3 was named the “Best Historical Restoration/Preservation” project of less than $5 million. A historic landmark that is a serviceable road in parts of Illinois, Old Route 66 required repairs but needed to maintain its historic appearance. Through coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office, a minimal amount of original concrete was replaced with patches that seamlessly blend with existing pavement to maintain this attraction for years to come.
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