Durbin, Duckworth announce federal funding for Illinois highway, bridge repair

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth Tuesday announced that the Federal Highway Administration has awarded $123,385,691 in federal funding to the state of Illinois for highway and bridge repair.

That includes $24,388,389 in new federal funding for risk-based bridge repair and replacement that Durbin and Duckworth secured in the recently passed Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations bill. Illinois currently has the third largest bridge inventory in the country. Of the 26,775 bridges in Illinois, 2,303 bridges, or 8.6 percent, are classified as structurally deficient.

"Illinoisans know that our infrastructure is in desperate need of repair, so today's announcement is welcomed news as towns and cities throughout Illinois rely on federal funding to help repair old and deficient infrastructure, including countless bridges," Durbin said.

"I was proud to work alongside Sen. Duckworth to secure this funding, and we will continue to look for ways to bring federal resources back home to Illinois."

"These infrastructure investments will enable communities throughout Illinois to make much-needed bridge repairs," Duckworth said.

"Senator Durbin and I worked together to identify this federal funding, and we'll continue to do everything we can to make sure Illinois receives the necessary resources to ensure residents in every corner of our state have access to safe and reliable transportation options."

Illinois has the fifth highest number of structurally deficient bridges in the nation.

The increased FHWA bridge funding provided by Congress is specifically reserved for states around the country with the highest bridge repair and replacement needs, like Illinois.

Earlier this month, Durbin and Duckworth wrote to FHWA Acting Administrator Brandye Hendrickson urging the agency to release the funding for states to use this year.