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November 24, 2021
Important: Upcoming cutoff date reminders in letting section
Employee Spotlight: Brittany Gavin, Roadside Management Specialist
If you admire the roadsides in western Illinois, Roadside Management Specialist Brittany Gavin has a role in keeping them maintained and looking great. Learn more about the knowledge, passion and enthusiasm she brings to her job.
 
Illinois, Iowa, Quad Cities ready to celebrate I-74 Mississippi River Bridge opening
The Interstate 74 Mississippi River Bridge is set to open in early December after more than four years of construction. The Illinois and Iowa departments of transportation, Federal Highway Administration and Quad Cities communities intend to celebrate the achievement before that happens.

On Dec. 1, a daylong celebration will be held that includes a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a public viewing of the bridge and other festivities at the TaxSlayer Center in Moline. The public celebration of the new structure is from 1 to 4 p.m.

The new bridge will connect Iowa and Illinois with a soaring arch structure welcoming residents, visitors and new opportunities to the Quad Cities. Handcrafted with the help of Quad Cities trades and businesses, the new structure will be more than twice as wide as the old bridge, providing four lanes in each direction, as well as an exciting new bicycle and pedestrian path that is set to open later in December.

Click here for more information about the project and the celebration.
Region 2: District 2 has begun implementing safety improvements to the intersection of Illinois 40 and Science Ridge Road north of Sterling. Work started on Nov. 5 to convert the intersection from a two-way stop to a four-way stop.
 
Raised islands, rumble strips and large stop signs with flashing red beacons will be installed as part of the project. The work is an interim measure to address safety concerns at this intersection until it can be converted it into a roundabout in the future. Click here for more details.
Region 5: District 9 has completed the construction of a structural retaining wall along Illinois 127 south of Alto Pass to mitigate a landslide. Issues with the road started as far back as 1945, four years after the original section of Illinois 127 was constructed.

After decades of reprofiling the pavement and making temporary repairs to the slope, the slide reached a tipping point during the spring rains of 2019. The road had to be closed and a one-lane runaround was constructed with signals.

The design included installing permanent ground anchors to support a 550-foot soldier pile retaining wall. Resident Engineer John Eaton worked closely with the contractor’s supervisor on this project, tackling various project complexities, such as drilling soldier piles in highly variable subsurface conditions, constructing the wall on a horizontal curve alignment and installing timber lagging from the top down to prevent new slope failures.
Interested in working for IDOT? Apply!
 
With competitive state benefits, broad training and career advancement opportunities, IDOT employees take pride in serving Illinois. Join our team and help us continue to make Illinois a transportation leader in the U.S!
 
Click here for our employment opportunities,
 
Need to know what region or district you live in? Click here
Letting Update
 
Jan. 21 is the first letting for statewide construction projects that are scheduled in 2022. Here are some dates to note in advance of the letting.
 
  • Dec. 10 at 10 a.m. Transportation Bulletin release (Official advertisement of projects.)
  • Dec. 31 at 4:30 p.m. Prequalification cutoff (Date that contractors must be qualified to bid on contracts.)
  • Jan. 14 at 4:30 p.m. Joint venture cutoff (three contractor limit. Date for these groups who want to bid can do so.)
  • Jan. 18 at 4:30 p.m. Request for authorization to bid cutoff (Final date for contractors who are authorized to bid on contracts.)
  • Jan. 21 at noon Letting (Bids can be submitted until 11:59 a.m. on the day. Bids are shut down at noon.) 
 
If you are new to the IDOT bid letting process or need updated information, following are some helpful resources:
 
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