The Washington County Board heard updates on upcoming road projects during the meeting Tuesday night. County engineer Mitch Burdick went over two projects that may go to bid this spring, including the McKinley Road Bridge project in Oakdale Township scheduled to go to bid in early spring, as well as repaving County Highway 23 between Radom and Route 51. Burdick said this project was originally scheduled for 2018, but the Illinois Department of Transportation requested that it be moved up a year.

“This project was actually slated for 2018, but IDOT requested that we move it up a year,” Burdick said. “I think we’re far enough along in the engineering to do that, so it will most likely go to bid in April. It would not change the cost sharing that goes with the project; it doesn’t save us any money or cost us any money by moving up a year, other than the fact that right now there are not a lot of projects, which might increase competition. And every year that you do it will probably save some money just from inflation.”
The Board tabled two items. The first was relating to a resolution in support of the Illinois Transportation Legislative Initiative that would ensure local taxing districts were receiving their share of funding from the state. The other tabled item was a request to join an electricity aggregation group so that the state’s attorney could review the documents. Both items will be revisited at the special meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 22. Also on the agenda for the special meeting will be several personnel items, and a review of the insurance package which looks to be lower than last year’s premiums.