April 3, 2003
Honorable James Inhofe
of Oklahoma
Chairman, Committee
on Environmental and Public Works
Dear Mr. Chairman:
In 1998 a coalition of Public and Private entities in East Central
Illinois were successful in receiving approval for a new interstate interchange
designed to improve economic development, tourism and our quality of life. We
have secured $8.15 million in federal funds, $9.93 million in state funds, $3.6
million in Illinois Commerce Commission (Safety) funds, $.6 million in Truck
Access Route Program funds, $.5 million in Surface Transportation Rural funds
and $.3 million in Canadian National Railroad funds. The total cost of the
project is estimated to be $28 million. Considering the funding secured above,
we remain $4,920,000 short. We have recently been in contact with Senator
Fitzgerald regarding the use of Economic Development Agency funding to insure
all aspects of the project can be funded and completed.
Interstate 1-57 is the major transportation artery for Coles County and
the East Central region of Illinois. It runs north and south and is located
between Mattoon and Charleston, populations 19,000 and 20,000 respectively. The
existing interchange serving both cities and other surrounding counties and
communities provides access to IL Route 16 which goes through the center of
both Mattoon and Charleston. Both communities have their industrial parks on
their north sides requiring heavy industrial traffic to travel through the
communities to access IL 16 and eventually 1-57. County and community leaders
recognize that a new access point to 1-57 north of the existing IL 16
interchange would make their local industries more competitive and remaining
industrial space more desirable while improving safety by eliminating the
industrial truck traffic on IL 16. The existing interchange forces industrial
traffic through 11 stop lights in Mattoon and 16 stop lights in Charleston
while passing by and transiting a Regional Hospital, Eastern Illinois
University, Coles County Airport, Cross County Mall as well as numerous
commercial and residential areas. Just eliminating the need to endure stop
lights will save our existing industries a conservative estimate of $274,000 per
year in transportation operating costs.
One popular tourist attraction in East Central Illinois is Lake
Shelbyville. Currently there is no direct access to those recreational
facilities from 1-57. Access today involves considerable travel on secondary roads
along indirect and confusing routes.
As mentioned earlier support for this new 1-57 interchange has been
regional in nature. Private economic development groups, Lake Shelbyville
Association, Coles County and the cities of Mattoon and Charleston are among
those (Attachment 1) contributing funds for the feasibility and early design
stages of this project.
Attachment two is a diagram defining the proposed new interchange and
the roads connecting to the industrial areas of Mattoon and Charleston. The $4,920,000
being requested would fund projects #1 and #2 shown in blue on the diagram.
Project #1 would. provide direct access to the recreational facilities at Lake
Shelbyville as well as a less congested and safer access to the Interstate
system for citizens living in Douglas, Moultrie and Shelby counties.
One of our primary industries in East Central Illinois is agriculture.
Some of the most productive farm land in the nation lies north of IL 16 in
Coles County. The new interchange and associated connecting roads, will impact
access to fields for planting and harvesting several thousand acres of prime
agricultural land. Project #2 would improve an existing but severely undersized
road to accommodate farm implements. Project #2 along with locally funded improvements
will provide the access necessary to support our agribusiness and separate slow
moving farm implements from heavy industrial traffic.
The communities in East Central Illinois have been investing in
improving our infrastructure to make us competitive with surrounding areas and
states for economic development. We enjoy an outstanding quality of life and
serve as a regional center for health care, education, shopping, tourism and
industry. The new interchange and connecting roads will enhance our ability for
growth while further improving our quality of life. Your support of this
project will have a major impact on helping us to help East Central Illinois to
grow and prosper in the years to come.
Sincerely,
CITY OF CHARLESTON
Roscoe M. Cougill
Mayor
CITY OF MATTOON
David Schilling
Mayor Pro-tem
COLES COUNTY BOARD
Carl Furry
County Board
Chairman