July 15, 2024

$21 million in construction projects coming to Edwardsville


Source: LABOR TRIBUNE

 

Edwardsville, IL – Over $21 million in construction projects are coming to Edwardsville thanks to a federal grant announced by union-backed leaders in late June.

U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski and U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth announced that Edwardsville will receive a $21.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Goshen Road and Liberty Trail multi-modal transportation improvement project.

Edwardsville Mayor Art Risavy said it was a “significant” federal grant for Edwardsville.

“We are thrilled and grateful to everyone who shared our vision for how transformative these improvements will be,” he said. “We cannot overstate the importance of the support and guidance provided by our congressional and legislative officials, and numerous state, local and business partners.”

That project will connect business districts, schools, residential areas, a medical campus and the Plummer Family Sports Park.

WHAT’S INVOLVED
The project will:

• Reconstruct one mile of Goshen Road from the Meyer Center of the YMCA to Sports Park Drive with green medians and a 2.5-mile shared-use path along the north side.
• Reconstruct 0.3 miles of Old Troy Road from Goshen Road to the Goshen Trail, with a 0.3-mile shared use path on the east side; add a roundabout intersection at Goshen Road’s intersections with Gerber Road, District Drive and Ridgeview Road.
• Stabilize stream banks at the Goshen Road culverts.
• Add EV charging stations at Plummer Family Park as well as bicycle parking along the shared-use pathways.

UNION JOBS
“Investments in our infrastructure create good-paying union jobs, improve safety and drive economic development in our communities,” Budzinski said. “These resources won’t just fix our roads – they will mitigate flooding, support electric vehicle charging and improve access to biking and public transportation. I was proud to advocate for these funds with the Department of Transportation, and I can’t wait to see the transformative impact they have on the Edwardsville community.”

Duckworth said the investment will modernize bus stops, update streetlights to solar lighting, add more EV stations and bicycle parking while fixing flood-damaged infrastructure.

Edwardsville Public Works Director Eric Williams told the Edwardsville Intelligencer that the Goshen Road improvement has been on the city’s to-do list for as long as he’s worked there – 26 years. That area includes the newer schools for Edwardsville District 7, the newer Meyer Center and Anderson Hospital’s Goshen Campus, including an urgent care center.


By:  ELIZABETH DONALD