2 Will County bridges eligible for infrastructure law funding

Two Will County bridge projects in U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood’s district are eligible to receive funding from the recently-passed federal infrastructure law.

Underwood, D-Naperville, and Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, were in Shorewood on Saturday to highlight the benefits the area could see. They spoke in front of the Jefferson Street/U.S. 52 bridge over the DuPage River, which is one of the projects identified as eligible for millions in federal dollars.

“For decades, infrastructure here in Illinois has suffered a systemic lack of investment,” Underwood said.

She noted the American Society of Civil Engineers gave Illinois a C minus grade on its 2021 infrastructure report card.

“I don’t have to tell you how badly this legislation was needed,” Underwood added. “You see it everyday.”

Several projects in Underwood’s district have been identified as eligible for the Federal Highway Administration’s Bridge Formula Program funding via the infrastructure law.

These include bridge widening, repairs and other work on the Jefferson Street bridge in Shorewood. The project could receive more than $30 million, according to a news release.

The federal program could also contribute about $2 million for the replacement of a bridge at River Road and Interstate 80 in Will County.

Underwood’s office listed other eligible bridge projects in Kane, Kendall, McHenry and Lake counties.

Jeff Gregory, the owner of Realty Executives Success, which has an office in Shorewood, also spoke Saturday thanking the members of Congress for their work on the infrastructure program. He argued such investments will help businesses like his continue to grow with the local population.

“When you make bridges better, when you make infrastructure better, people from outside of this area look at this area and consider moving a little bit farther in the suburbs,” Gregory said.

Foster touted the fact that the infrastructure law was passed under unified Democratic control of Congress and the White House, though he also acknowledged Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, who was the only GOP member from Illinois who voted for the law.

Gregory was pleased to point to the infrastructure law as an example of legislators getting things done in Congress.

“I don’t know about all of you, but I’m so tired of turning on the news and hearing the bickering,” he said. “And I love it when the leaders come together like this to do things that make sense, that make common sense, for the people of our district, and for the rest of Illinois.”