John Deere Road is expanding... both literally and figuratively.
On Wednesday, October 10th, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn announced a $47 million expansion project with John Deere Road as his backdrop. The two-phase plan, funding through the Governor's "Illinois Jobs Now!" Initiative, is expected to create more than 600 construction jobs.
Crews will begin the first phase in spring 2013. It includes building an overpass from 38th Street over John Deere Road. The two left-turn lanes will be eliminated from the congested area. Instead, drivers will either turn right directly onto John Deere Road East or go over the overpass and merge onto John Deere Road West. The project is expected to take a year to complete.
Phase two includes widening John Deere Road from 16th Street past 70th Street. Crews will add one additional lane to each direction. That project is set to start in fall 2014 and finish up in fall 2016.
State and local leaders say the expansion project will not only improve traffic flow, it will help the local economy grow. Click on the video above to hear more.
Governor Quinn also told WQAD-TV today that they're still waiting on federal funds to complete funding for the new Interstate 74 Bridge. Illinois has set aside $72 million for the project, which currently has a starting date of fiscal year 2018.