St. Clair County agrees to pitch in on Frank Scott Pkwy. extension. How much and why?
St. Clair County has agreed to put millions of dollars toward a project to extend Frank Scott Parkway East to Scott Air Force Base.
The work will add a new, two-lane section to Frank Scott Parkway from Cross Street in Shiloh to Air Mobility Drive, which is also known as Illinois 158.
County Engineer Norm Etling said it will make access to Memorial Hospital Shiloh easier and faster for those at the base, which no longer has its own hospital.
The St. Clair County Board signed a $13.8 million spending agreement for the project at its meeting Monday night. It includes:
$11.04 million in federal money.
$2.36 million in local money.
$400,000 in state money.
Etling said the $2.36 million may come from St. Clair County’s share of money from the statewide infrastructure funding program, Rebuild Illinois.
During Monday’s County Board meeting, Chairman Mark Kern noted that work on Frank Scott Parkway has been ongoing for years, with the first federal funding secured by former Congressman Jerry Costello, who left office in 2013.
The county hopes to advertise for construction bids on the extension project this fall and to select a contractor by the end of the year, according to Etling.
The County Board voted 24-0 in favor of the spending agreement. Five board members were absent from the meeting: Democrat Ken Easterley of District 9; Republican Stephen Reeb of District 13; Republican Ed Cockrell of District 20; Republican Kevin Dawson of District 24; and Republican Matt Smallheer of District 27.
