Illinoisans want I-66; state plans to move forward

Business Today

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Based on broad public support, Illinois officials July 23 announced their intentions to move forward to bring Interstate 66 through Southern Illinois to Cape Girardeau's new Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge.

The announcement on the proposed cross-country highway that would link California and Virginia comes after a June 17 public hearing in Ullin, Ill., and a 15-day period of public comment that saw 84 percent of the responses from Illinois residents supportive of an Illinois corridor.

The announcement was made at a news conference at IDOT's Carbondale office.

Presented in a thick, blue book of comments that were collected by e-mail and letters and at the open house, 385 of 470 Illinois residents said an Illinois route would help the area's woeful economic situation by bringing in jobs and boosting tourism.

Illinois officials hope to meet within the next 30 days with Kentucky highway officials, who are studying where the proposed interstate should be built. Kentucky is currently looking at a proposal that calls for I-66 to go through Western Kentucky into Missouri near Charleston, bypassing Illinois entirely.