06.25.19

Durbin Meets With Officials From Springfield & Sangamon County in Washington

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met today with officials from Springfield, Illinois, and Sangamon County to discuss local priorities including the Illinois Air National Guard’s 183rd Wing and transportation and infrastructure improvements.  Durbin discussed progress on the Springfield Rail Improvement Program (SRIP) and various road and highway improvement projects the city is hoping to get federal support for. 

“Springfield is my hometown, and it’s always great to welcome Mayor Langfelder and his team to Washington to discuss how I can support local projects,”Durbin said.  “We know Illinois is in desperate need of infrastructure improvement and I will continue to fight for federal dollars to help communities like Springfield improve their roads, bridges, rural broadband, and more.  I also reiterated my support for ensuring the future of the 183rd Wing and will push for a flying mission for the installation.”

A photo from today’s meeting is available here.

Last year, Durbin helped Springfield secure a $22 million BUILD grant from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to support the replacement of a track bridge with two new double track bridges over 5th and 6th Streets. Construction will begin this year. 

This week, Durbin and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) submitted an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that encourages the Air Force to change the 183rd from a nonflying mission to a flying mission.  

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