Governor_Pat_Quinn

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has signed a $1.1bn new state capital construction bill in a move to upgrade the state’s infrastructure.

According to US transportation officials, the funding will go towards ‘shovel-ready’ road projects, which will begin later this year.

The projects will also generate approximately 14,300 jobs in the state.

The majority of the 210 projects consist of bridge repairs and road resurfacing around Illinois.

Governor Quinn said: "With this investment in our state’s infrastructure, we are immediately putting people to work, making our world-class transportation system even stronger and generating economic development far into the future."

"With this investment in our state’s infrastructure, we are immediately putting people to work."

In addition to financing $1bn in projects in the Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) 2015-2020 multi-year programme, the new capital construction programme includes $100m for municipal and township governments to upgrade local infrastructures.

The financing will be distributed and managed by IDOT. It is expected to help communities throughout Illinois to combat potholes and make other critical infrastructure repairs.

Image: Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. Photo: courtesy of Chris Eaves.