The Illinois state government announced in mid-march that under its Rebuild Illinois plan, it will be releasing grant money for local capital projects, especially projects related to infrastructure and transportation, and Homewood and Flossmoor are slated to receive portions of the $250 million installment.
Homewood is slated to receive $212,243.62. In another installment, Flossmoor is receiving $103,952.47. Neither village has determined the exact use for those funds, although public works officials have ideas.
“Once we get more specific information on the funding, we will be discussing the proposed use of this funding with our Village Board,” said John S. Brunke, Flossmoor public works director. “It is my understanding that we will receive a total of 6 distributions at $103,952 for a total of $623,714,” he said.
According to Brunke, the funds granted to Flossmoor will be used for the Flossmoor Road viaduct engineering project and the Berry Lane drainage engineering. Both of these projects already had a smaller amount of funding but this grant will allow the projects to be completed with ease.
“Both of these projects are engineering projects for flood mitigation projects that will be constructed in the next couple of years. Residents will directly benefit from the reduction on flooding that occurs at the Flossmoor Road Viaduct at the CN/Metra Railroads bridge and also the Berry Lane area located in the Heather Hill subdivision,” said Brunke.
Brunke said there may be other projects that the Rebuild Illinois grant will be used for in Flossmoor, but this has yet to be determined.
“Any additional projects would be approved by the village board,” said Brunke.
“We are still finalizing our capital budget,” said John D. Schaefer, Homewood public works director, who noted that the specifics of the resurfacing plan will have to be approved by the village board.
Schaefer said portions of 12 streets in Homewood could be resurfaced with the funding. The proposed streets include sections of Riegel Oaks Lane, Hawthorne Road, LaHigh Road, Los Angeles Court, Marshfield Avenue, San Diego Avenue, Highland Avenue, Gottschalk Avenue, Evergreen Road, Chestnut Road, Homewood Avenue and Park Avenue.
The installment announced by the state recently is part of a larger Rebuild Illinois allocation.
“The Rebuild Illinois Grant Funds should cover most of the cost, if not all,” Schaefer said.
A total of $1.5 billion is being spread out in six installments over three years to advance municipal, township and county projects across the state, according to a news release from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Projects, which will be selected and managed locally with financial oversight by IDOT, include road and bridge improvements, traffic signal upgrades, new storm sewers and bike paths, sidewalk replacements and other long-term maintenance needs.
The funding is in addition to the regular contributions through the state’s motor fuel tax formula, which already account for $567 million to local governments in this fiscal year alone.
Rebuild Illinois was approved by the state legislature in 2019 to invest $33.2 billion into the state’s aging transportation system, the largest capital program in state history.
Correction: An earlier version of this story mischaracterized the scope of the Homewood street resurfacing program. The Chronicle regrets the error.