CARBONDALE — Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) joined local officials, transportation stakeholders, and labor leaders Wednesday to celebrate another historic round of investments in Southern Illinois infrastructure.

As part of $400 million specifically identified to support 223 local projects, Governor Pritzker announced a $2 million investment in Carbondale to reconstruct and modernize Poplar, West Cherry, and West College streets, as well as advance other projects across the region. The investment is part of the largest infrastructure program in state history, totaling $50.6 billion over six years.

“The Carbondale Road Restoration Project is resurfacing and upgrading multiple critical roads that serve the most important focal points of this region,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Across the state, our Rebuild Illinois program is getting shovels in the ground and putting Illinoisians to work on projects that are vital to community interest and helping grow the entire state. This ambitious program isn’t just about rectifying the shortcomings of our past — it’s about building something better for our future.”

The Carbondale improvements will rehabilitate and modernize three streets in the heart of town: Poplar Street between West Mill and West Oak streets, West Cherry Street between South Oakland and South Illinois avenues, and West College Street between South Forest and South University avenues. Each of these routes provide connections to Southern Illinois University and SIH Memorial Hospital, two of the region’s largest employers, as well as the Southern Illinois Multimodal Station, a new facility made possible through $2.8 million in state funding that serves Amtrak, Greyhound, and JAX Mass Transit.

The project consists of resurfacing the roads, fixing curbs and gutters, adding sidewalk ramps for people with disabilities, and including striping for dedicated bike lanes where possible. Construction is anticipated to begin within the year.

“Under Governor Pritzker, IDOT is doing more than ever to get resources to communities to deliver improvements that increase quality of life and create economic opportunity,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi. “The investment in these Carbondale streets will mean safer, more reliable options to get to your park, library, school, and other meaningful destinations in your lives.”

“Reconstructing Poplar, Cherry, and College Streets is about more than fixing pavement — it’s about strengthening the heart of Carbondale. These improvements will make travel safer, support our local businesses, and improve access to Southern Illinois University and SIH Memorial Hospital, two pillars of our community,” said Carbondale Mayor Carolin Harvey. “Thanks to Governor Pritzker, IDOT, and our friends in labor, this project represents the kind of partnership that drives real progress for Southern Illinois.”

“This project is another great example of what happens when state leadership, local communities, and organized labor work together to get things done,” said Tate Wright, Secretary-Treasurer of Egyptian Building Trades. “Reconstructing Poplar, Cherry, and College Streets will not only make Carbondale safer and more connected, but it will also create good-paying, local jobs for the men and women of the building trades. We’re grateful to Governor Pritzker for his partnership and commitment to investing in Southern Illinois.”

For IDOT’s district covering Southern Illinois, $1.1 billion is planned to improve state roads and bridges.

Among the projects advancing are:

• $22 million to reconstruct a mile and resurface more than 13 miles of Illinois 34 from Illinois 37 to the Saline County line in Franklin County
• $14.5 to resurface and build new shoulders along nearly 7 miles of Illinois 152 from Illinois 127 to U.S. 51 in Perry County
• $14 million to reconstruct 1.4 miles and resurface 1.2 miles of Illinois 146 from Illinois 127 to U.S. 51 in Union County

Released last month, IDOT’s Fiscal Year 2026-31 Proposed Highway and Multimodal Improvement Program identifies a total investment of $32.5 billion in roads and bridges, and $18.1 billion for other modes, including $13.8 billion for transit, $2.9 billion for freight and passenger rail, $1.2 billion for aviation, and $200 million for ports and waterways.

This year’s multi-year program also made $400 million available through special legislative appropriation backed by Governor Pritzker to help further address local transportation needs, with consideration given to disadvantaged or economically distressed communities. Of the 223 awards, 177 are for roads, 34 for bike and pedestrian improvements, 10 for transit, and two for ports.

IDOT is making several investments in local projects via the $400 million appropriation, including:

• $2 million in Carbondale for road improvements
• $2.2 million to complete the third and final phase of the Union Hill Road reconstruction in Jackson County
• $918,000 to rehab the Pittsburg Road bridge in Williamson County

IDOT’s latest multi-year program is both comprehensive and multimodal, with investments in roads and bridges, aviation, transit, freight and passenger rail, waterways, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. Projects are across state and local jurisdictions and in all 102 counties. The $50.6 billion eclipses the previous record of $41.4 billion set last year.

Passed in 2019, Governor Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois is not only the largest capital program in state history, but also the first one that touches all modes of Illinois transportation. To date, IDOT has completed through Rebuild Illinois approximately $20.8 billion of improvements statewide on 21,309 lane miles of highway, 815 bridges, and 1,181 additional safety projects.

Click here to watch the governor’s announcement.