City to seek share of stimulus
Funding wanted for new water main, interchange
Joe Astrouski / City Editor
Issue date: 1/27/09 Section: News
As Congress prepares to debate President Barack Obama's $825 billion economic stimulus plan, the city of Charleston is already pushing for its share of the money.
The city has requested funding for two projects: a new water main for the water treatment plant and a new interchange north of Charleston to connect Illinois Route 130 to Interstate 57.
State Rep. Chapin Rose endorsed funding the proposed interchange in an open letter to Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Tim Johnson earlier this month.
Rose said the interchange would spur business growth in the industrial park on Charleston's north side.
"This is a critical access point to the interstate for the city of Charleston from an economic development standpoint," Rose said. "Construction is anticipated to create 80 to 120 construction jobs and as many as an additional 100 positions … (at) the industrial park."
The city is asking for stimulus money to also fund the replacement of the 125-year-old water main that connects the water treatment plant near McKinley Avenue to Lincoln Avenue.
Though the present water main still works, it needs to be replaced, said Curt Buescher, Charleston Public Works director.
"The current (main) is fine … we haven't had any leaks or anything like that, but the bottom line is that it's very old and needs to be replaced," Buescher said.
Buescher also said the city needs to lay the new water main before the city can begin a planned roadwork project.
"The driving force behind that is that we still want to resurface 20th Street," Buescher said, adding that traffic for stores like Wal-Mart has worn the street's surface. "We have to have all the subsurface work done before we do any resurfacing."
Joe Astrouski can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmastrouski@eiu.edu.
The city has requested funding for two projects: a new water main for the water treatment plant and a new interchange north of Charleston to connect Illinois Route 130 to Interstate 57.
State Rep. Chapin Rose endorsed funding the proposed interchange in an open letter to Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Tim Johnson earlier this month.
Rose said the interchange would spur business growth in the industrial park on Charleston's north side.
"This is a critical access point to the interstate for the city of Charleston from an economic development standpoint," Rose said. "Construction is anticipated to create 80 to 120 construction jobs and as many as an additional 100 positions … (at) the industrial park."
The city is asking for stimulus money to also fund the replacement of the 125-year-old water main that connects the water treatment plant near McKinley Avenue to Lincoln Avenue.
Though the present water main still works, it needs to be replaced, said Curt Buescher, Charleston Public Works director.
"The current (main) is fine … we haven't had any leaks or anything like that, but the bottom line is that it's very old and needs to be replaced," Buescher said.
Buescher also said the city needs to lay the new water main before the city can begin a planned roadwork project.
"The driving force behind that is that we still want to resurface 20th Street," Buescher said, adding that traffic for stores like Wal-Mart has worn the street's surface. "We have to have all the subsurface work done before we do any resurfacing."
Joe Astrouski can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmastrouski@eiu.edu.
The Daily Eastern News encourages on-topic, civil discussion on its articles posted online. It is our policy not to screen comments before they are posted or edit them after they are posted. However, we reserve the right to remove comments that are off-topic, malicious, libelous or include excessive foul language. The DEN also reserves the right to turn off all comments on any story it deems necessary.
Comments violating copyright law will also be removed.
Users who repeatedly violate this policy will be banned from commenting.
If you have any questions on our comment policy or wish to report a comment that you feel violates these standards, please e-mail a link to the article to our Online Editor at DENNews.com@gmail.com.
Be the first to comment on this story