SHELBYVILLE, IL. —
Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-19) announced the awarding of a nearly $1 million grant to the city of Shelbyville from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for improvements to the Lake Shelbyville Dam North 9th Street access road.
“This funding will improve the main access to Lake Shelbyville, which is a deteriorated road with poor drainage,” Shimkus said. “The project will correct those issues and provide safe access for pedestrians and bikers.”
The grant, for $970,640, comes from the Public Lands Highway Discretionary Program of DOT’s Federal Highway Administration. It will be used for work on the road to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lake Shelbyville Dam West Recreational Area, beginning at the Union Pacific railroad crossing. The project extends east along North 9th Street a total of 0.35 miles to the entrance of the recreational area.
“The improvements should provide a boost to tourism and the local economy,” Shimkus added.
“This is a 100 percent federally funded grant. No local match money is involved,” said city engineer Alan Spesard.
Spesard said this grant was applied for in December 2011. The funding will go toward improving the road, including drainage, sidewalks, curbing and gutters,relocation of sewer and water lines and new surface on the road.
Spesard noted that a similar grant was applied for 10 years ago, but Shelbyville was turned down.
“Ever since then we have been trying to find opportunities to improve that road,” he said.
“We feel very fortunate in getting this grant because it was a nationwide opportunity. Many other cities were in competition for these federal grants,” Spesard said.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) invited states, cities, tribal governments and local planning organizations to apply for federal funding from 12 grant programs. Nearly 1,500 requests poured in from every state, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. totaling approximately $2.5 billion. Grant funding was made available through enactment of the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012, Part II.
All 50 states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico were awarded grants. These programs were authorized by Congress to support projects that improve roadway safety, maintain the nation's roads and bridges and make communities more livable.
The purpose of the grant awarded to Shelbyville is the provide funding for transporation and provide access to federal land. Lake Shelbyville is federally owned land.
“I want to thank Ricky Raymond (Lake Shelbyville manager) for his letter of support that was submitted with the grant application.
This grant is the second federal grant awarded to the city this year. Earlier a $1.177 million grant was awarded for the Wood Street Bridge project which will be available in 2017. It is an 80 percent funded grant with a 20 percent local match being split between the city of Shelbyville and the county.
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City Awarded Grant for 9th Street Improvement
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