What’s the status of Frank Scott Parkway East and other county road projects?
Construction has started on one large St. Clair County road project that will extend Frank Scott Parkway East out to Scott Air Force Base.
Meanwhile, other projects are ramping up on county roads in Shiloh, Belleville, Swansea and Fairview Heights, including adding more lanes to Frank Scott Parkway East and North Green Mount Road, as well as repairing Sullivan Drive and Old Collinsville Road.
Here’s a look at the status of each county road project that is in the works:
Frank Scott Parkway East in Shiloh
The Frank Scott Parkway East extension project that is under construction now will create a new, two-lane road from Cross Street in Shiloh to Illinois 158, also known as Air Mobility Drive, near Scott Air Force Base.
County Engineer Norm Etling has 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 county hired engineers to design the extension in early 2023. But officials suspended the project due to lack of funding until 2024, when some federal money became available.
The County Board signed a cost-sharing agreement allocating $13.8 million in state and federal funds to the project in September 2024.
St. Clair County is also in the design phase for more Frank Scott Parkway East roadwork. This project would widen the final section of the road that isn’t already five lanes between North Green Mount Road and Cross Street.
The County Board signed a cost-sharing agreement allocating $8.1 million in state and federal funds to the project in August 2024.
Board members voted at their most recent meeting May 27 to allow Etling or his staff to acquire additional land needed to complete the lane-widening project, either by making an offer to the landowner or using eminent domain.
Etling estimated that the county could begin accepting bids for the lane widening construction work from interested contractors by September 2025.
North Green Mount Road in Belleville, Shiloh
St. Clair County plans to widen a little over a mile of North Green Mount Road from just north of Lebanon Avenue in Belleville to just south of Frank Scott Parkway East in Shiloh.
This project is in the design phase after also pausing until the county could find federal funding. A cost-sharing agreement has not yet been approved by the County Board for North Green Mount Road.
Board members signed an engineering contract in early 2024 for the design work on the project, which they amended at the May 27 meeting to also add a new intersection with traffic signals at Cascade Lake Drive, as well as a retaining wall to minimize impacts on Richland Creek.
Etling and his staff also need to acquire some land to complete this lane-widening project.
Etling estimated that the county would begin accepting bids from contractors for the North Green Mount Road work by fall 2025.
Sullivan Drive in Swansea, Belleville
The county plans to repair a portion of Sullivan Drive between Huntwood Road in Swansea and Illinois 161 in Belleville.
The County Board signed a cost-sharing agreement allocating $1 million in state and federal funds to the project in February.
In March, the county hired contractor Killian Corporation to complete the project. Preconstruction planning happened on Wednesday, according to Etling. He previously estimated that this work could be completed by fall 2025.
Old Collinsville Road in Fairview Heights, Swansea
The county plans to repair Old Collinsville Road between Fairview Heights and Swansea and add a new right turn lane at its intersection with Ashland Avenue in Fairview Heights.
The County Board has signed two cost-sharing agreements for these projects. The first agreement in March allocated $502,000 in state and federal funds toward the new turn lane. The second in April allocated $840,000 in state and federal funds toward repairs between Ashland Avenue in Fairview Heights and Lebanon Avenue in Swansea.
Etling estimated that the county would begin accepting bids from contractors for work on Old Collinsville Road by June 2025.
