Construction in Chicago has just seen a major boost with the announcement of a major investment in Cook County projects. More than $31 million has been earmarked for infrastructure construction and improvement in Cook County in 2014 and beyond.
Illinois governor Pat Quinn announced the large investment in northern Illinois roads and highways. The project is funded by the Illinois Jobs Now! Program, a $31 billion initiative intended to revive the Illinois economy by creating more than 439,000 jobs between 2009 and 2015. Quinn signed the Jobs Now! program into effect in July 2009.
Most of the jobs are focused on improving streets, highways and roadways in the area. Included among the more than two dozen Chicago construction projects will be:
- Intermittent resurfacing of state-maintained routes in northern, southern and central Cook County.
- Resurfacing, repair and improvements on streets and roads, including 78th Avenue, Illinois Route 72, Ridge Road, Cicero Avenue, North Avenue, Illinois Route 64, Enterprise Drive and Constitution Drive.
- Replacement of features such as curbs and gutters, sidewalks, driveways, pavement markings and signage in area villages such as Bellwood, Bridgeview, Lansing, Matteson, Northlake, North Riverside, Oak Park and Westchester.
- Bridge repair, upgrades or replacement at locations such as the bridge carrying 63rd Street over Interstate 90/94; U.S. 30 over Interstate 57 in Matteson, Illinois; Route 59 over the Metra Railroad in Bartlett; and West Jeffery Avenue over Buffalo Creek.
- Traffic signal modernization on Illinois Route 171 and at other locations in Cook County.
The Illinois Department of Transportation will oversee the various construction and improvement projects in Cook County.
Construction employment in Illinois has risen by some 8,500 jobs since the beginning of 2014, representing gains that were four times as strong as the same period in 2013.
Construction Monitor provides industry professionals with weekly reports on building permits, housing starts and other construction industry developments. Contact us today for more information on Chicago construction and how your company could benefit from this surge in Cook County construction.
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