US 67 EXPRESSWAY ALIGNMENT SELECTED

SPRINGFIELD, ILL. -- Illinois Transportation Secretary Kirk Brown announced today the selection of Corridor E as the preferred alignment for improvement of US 67 expressway between Jacksonville and Beardstown setting the final piece of alignment for the Alton to Rock Island expressway.

Corridor E was one of two finalists. This corridor generally follows existing US 67 from the west bypass of Jacksonville to US 136 just east of Macomb and includes bypasses around Beardstown, Rushville, and Industry.

Secretary Brown said, "This last link in the US 67 expressway nails down the alignment for a major north-south highway serving much of western Illinois. Communities along this proposed 225-mile-expressway seek to use the expressway between Rock island and Alton for economic development.

"More than $500 million has already been spent or committed for various links of the expressway. Another $345 million is programmed as part of Governor George Ryan’s Illinois FIRST program for the fiscal years 2002-2006 highway improvement program."

The selection of the corridor was made after numerous public hearings attended by more than 300 persons. In addition, the Department received more than 900 written comments from citizens, local government and businesses.

In selecting Corridor E, Brown said the factors favoring Corridor E outweighed the other alternatives. These factors were:

• Less new land would be required since Corridor E uses more of the existing right of way. Corridor E uses 100 fewer acres than Corridor A.

• Fewer acres (150 acres) of agricultural land would be taken out of use by Corridor E.

• Fewer environmental impacts to wetlands, natural areas, and threatened and endangered species in Corridor E.