Feb. 17, 2025

Employee Spotlight: Deputy Director of Transit Shoun Reese

Shoun Reese has served as deputy director of Transit for the past three years, with a total of five years at IDOT under her belt.

Here are some of her thoughts about her job and life outside of IDOT.

Read more.

Rail Splitter reconstruction underway

Just north of Springfield on Interstate 55, the Rail Splitter rest areas are getting an upgrade.

Work began in September to replace the current structures with buildings that will feature larger bathroom facilities that accommodate families, a foyer area with vending machines as well as maps and information for travelers.

The rest areas originally opened in 1963, the first built in Illinois, and contain historic architectural features, including four retro crane lighting stands and concrete canopies as roofs for the buildings. These two features will be preserved, restored and refurbished as part of the new rest areas.

Read more.

Region 2, District 2: More than 40 attendees attended a Jan. 28 virtual public meeting that presented information and sought input on the replacement of the Illinois 75 (Blackhawk Boulevard) Rock River bridge in Rockton.



The project will replace the existing bridge, which is reaching the end of its service life. The new bridge will be wider to accommodate two lanes of traffic with shoulders, a sidewalk and a multiuse path that will connect to Settler’s Park and a connection to the Great River Trail. An overlook, a mainstay of the current bridge, will also be included in the construction of the new bridge. Learn more at https://il75rockriverbridge.com/

Region 5, District 8: I-255 is closed in both directions between Illinois 157 to Illinois 15 as part of an accelerated $65.4 million rehabilitation and resurfacing. Made possible by the historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program, the project is the second of five phases to repair and improve I-255 in Illinois, an effort being done faster, cheaper and safer by closing the work zone to traffic when possible. ​

The project includes bridge repairs, safety upgrades, new lighting and guardrails, improved signage and drainage, as well as replacement of badly deteriorated pavement still in use from when I-255 was first built in 1984. By closing I-255 to complete the work, construction will be completed in just six months instead of staging the work over multiple years, resulting in an estimated $10 million in savings. Also, by removing live traffic from the work zone, a significant safety risk to workers and drivers is eliminated. A posted detour will direct drivers to I-55 and I-64.

Visit https://idot.click/i255-il15-to-il157 for more information.

Letting Update

March 7 is the next letting for statewide construction projects that are scheduled in 2025. Here are some dates to note in advance of the letting.

• Feb. 28 at 4:30 p.m. Joint venture cutoff (three contractor limit. Date for these groups who want to bid can do so).   
• March 4 at 4:30 p.m. Request for authorization to bid cutoff (Final date for contractors who are authorized to bid on contracts). 
• March 7 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:

• Transportation Bulletin
• EBids
• Letting Schedule
• Electronic Subscription Service
• Prequalification
• Authorization to Bid
• Bid Bonds