Durbin, Budzinski, Secretary Buttigieg Announce $22.6 Million for Village of Savoy's Curtis Road Grade Separation And Complete Streets Project
SAVOY – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), and U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg today joined local officials to announce that the Village of Savoy will receive more than $22.6 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program for the Curtis Road Grade Separation and Complete Streets Project.
“The implementation of the new railroad grade separation and road improvements in Savoy marks a significant step towards fostering safety and efficiency,” said Durbin. “This vital federal investment will create enhanced accessibility and connectivity, leaving a lasting, positive impact on the community and all those who travel across this region.”
"Delivering federal resources to communities in Central and Southern Illinois is one of my most important roles as a Member of Congress," said Congresswoman Budzinski. "I was thrilled to join Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Senator Dick Durbin to highlight the $22.6 million investment in the Village of Savoy's Curtis Road Grade Separation Project. These federal infrastructure funds will make our community safer for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists -- all while making it easier for first responders to reach emergencies more quickly. I look forward to seeing this project through to the finish line."
“In Savoy, and in communities across the country, we are investing in rail safety to ensure that we can keep moving goods and people where they need to go without ever compromising on safety,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We’re proud to award Savoy this $22 million grant that will improve public transit access, save people time on their commutes, and very likely save lives.”
“I’m proud that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is still at work improving the very infrastructure that gets hardworking Illinoisans from one place to the next,” said U.S. Senator Duckworth (D-IL), who helped secure $2,000,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for elements of this project. “I’m proud to have supported this project for years, and now with help from this funding, the Savoy community will see improved rail, traffic lanes and bike paths to help them safely get where they need to be.”
The Curtis Road Grade Separation and Complete Streets Project will create a new railroad grade separation and improve two miles of railroad from Windsor Road to Old Church Road by relocating the railroad track. The work will include constructing a roadway underpass by raising the railroad tracks by 15 feet and lowering Curtis Road by five feet. Additionally, the project will reconstruct one mile of Curtis Road to add two additional lanes, on-street bicycle lanes, and new traffic signals with pedestrian countdown signals, drainage improvements, and enhanced transit stops. The project will provide immediate and uninterrupted access—particularly for emergency response vehicles—to the eastern half of the Village of Savoy that is currently bisected by Canadian National (CN) railroad. It also will serve as a southern access point from Willard Airport to the University of Illinois as well as provide corridor access for research, development, and medical facilities between I-57 and US-45.
This $22.6 million RAISE grant funding comes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Durbin, Duckworth, and Budzinski all supported. They also sent letters of support to DOT for this project.
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