Durbin Visit Brandon Road Project to Receive Updates
JOLIET – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project, a critical pinch point with several technologies to prevent upstream movement of invasive carp and other aquatic nuisance species into the Great Lakes from the Illinois Waterway, to receive updates on the Project Partnership Agreement and the site’s construction.
“There is a looming threat posed by invasive carp to the invaluable economic and environmental resources of our Great Lakes,” said Durbin. “The Brandon Road project emerges as our most promising shield in safeguarding our region’s greatest natural resource. This endeavor promises to not only protect our cherished waters, but also revitalize our local economy, generating meaningful employment opportunities right here in Joliet. I’m deeply appreciative of the unwavering support and collaboration that’s advanced this effort forward, but the State of Illinois and the Army Corps of Engineers must finalize the Project Partnership Agreement to ensure construction can begin.”
To date, Durbin has secured $282 million for the Brandon Road project, including $225.2 million for construction in theInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and $47.3 million in the FY23 Omnibus appropriations bill.
Durbin has been a steadfast advocate for the Brandon Road project and finding a comprehensive approach to the Great Lakes from the threat of Asian carp. Through previous Water Resources Development Acts, he secured authorization fordesign and construction of the Brandon Road Project and increased the federal cost-share for the project, bringing down the cost for Illinois taxpayers. Durbin was also instrumental in forcing the release of the original Brandon Road Study, a draft plan that paved the way for the project, after the Trump Administration stalled the report’s release. He previously secured $3.8 million in federal funding to begin preconstruction, design, and engineering on the project.
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