$20 Million Grant To Fund Plainfield's 143rd Street Extension

PLAINFIELD, IL — A Plainfield project that's been in the works for years will receive a $20 million funding boost thanks to a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation's Competitive Freight Program. Will County Executive Larry Walsh announced Wednesday that the grant will help fund the $30 million Village of Plainfield project, part of re-routing traffic from Route 126.

The extension "from (Route 59 to Route 126), over the DuPage River, and its designation as the Illinois 126 will open a much needed east-west corridor," according to the village, which said it's received Phase 1 design approval from IDOT and the Federal Highway Administration. The village also said staff is working with ComEd on the final details of the corridor, adding, "construction of the roadway will be a combined effort of local, state, and federal agencies."

Walsh said that $20 million is included in a total of $54 million in funding for Will County projects from the IDOT Competitive Freight Program. Another $34 million will go to the reconstruction of the Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 30 interchange, expected to cost a total of $43 million. In a press release, Walsh said the interchange "has been noted for its history of large bottlenecks and safety concerns."

The interchange handles heavy truck traffic from local intermodal facilities and growing commuter populations from the communities in the Lincoln-Way area.

The Competitive Freight Program is funded by the federal government and designed to help communities across the state implement goals identified in the Illinois State Freight Plan. Illinois allocated a total of more than $240 million in federal funds for these projects.

“The funds awarded to Will County will be used for two key projects that are important in managing our position as North America’s largest inland port,” Walsh said. “I want to personally thank Ann Schneider who has been leading the Will County Freight Study efforts which identified the critical needs of our county’s transportation infrastructure.”

Walsh also said the joint efforts between the executive’s office, the Will County Center for Economic Development and the private sector, the Will County Governmental league and IDOT played a significant role in winning the competitive grant.

“Both of these projects are in highly populated areas of our county,” Walsh said. “When finished, these improvements will improve traffic flow along these roadways. We are very thankful to IDOT for recognizing the importance of these projects to the region.”

In September, Will County completed an IDOT-funded Community Friendly Freight Mobility Plan, which was a comprehensive look at freight movements throughout the Will County region. The plan addresses freight movements, quality of life issues, workforce challenges and passenger mobility. The plan is the basis for a series of action orientated steps to continue to improve roads throughout the Will County Region.

Since it was proposed, the 143rd Street extension has drawn criticism from some residents who have expressed concerns about noise and as well as the impact it could have on wildlife.

Photo: 143rd Street extension, looking east from Route 59/Image via Village of Plainfield