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| GACC President Says New Illinois Capital Bill Will Create Opportunities, Jobs |
The head of the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce expects the recent passage of a new Illinois capital bill to provide a big financial shot in the arm both locally and across the state.
Governor Pat Quinn, about two weeks ago, signed into law the $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now plan, the first statewide capital construction program in more than a decade. Quinn says it will revive the economy by creating and retaining more than 430,000 jobs over the next six years.
The City of Galesburg is set to receive $33.5 million from the capital bill to build proposed railroad overpasses at three locations. Local officials formally announced the money for the projects last weekend.
Local chamber of commerce president Bob Maus tells WGIL the grade separations will be huge for Galesburg.
"It'll create a number of new jobs for us and will expand opportunities for BNSF to increase their operations here. That's never a given because they need to make those decisions based upon what's happening with them worldwide. But by creating this situation, I would say that we will give (BNSF) a window of opportunity to maybe turn this into the largest railyard in the system."
Maus says part of the capital bill also leverages federal dollars, which means the completion of U-S Route 34 and several other projects in the Peoria, Macomb and Quad Cities areas. He says taking the capital bill and complementing it with the federal stimulus dollars - because of new projects - should lead to infrastructure improvements and permanent jobs.
The new overpasses in Galesburg are slated for rail crossings on East Main, West Main and Seminary streets. State Representative Don Moffitt said when the money for the grade separations was announced that the projects could create 40 to 50 construction jobs at each crossing.
Officials have targeted late 2010 as a possible date construction could begin. |
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| 07 25 09 by Newsroom |
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