State-led Ninth Street sidewalk project delayed; city says completion likely by Oct. 18

The Mount Carmel City mayor told the council that the Ninth Street sidewalk and intersection reconstruction is a state-led project with no city oversight and is unlikely to be finished until mid- to late October.

The project matters to residents and drivers because it affects traffic patterns at major intersections and requires temporary traffic signals and pole relocations that lengthen the work at Ninth and Market, the mayor said.

"This is a state project, city has no oversight on it or anything to do with it," the mayor said. He said crews removed sidewalk sections and are relocating signal masts, which is why work at Ninth and Market is taking longer than other intersections. The mayor said the project is a 300-day contract that began with an 18-day start period around Thanksgiving 2024, resumed in April 2025, and — with rain delays — is not expected to be finished until about Oct. 18, the 300th day.

Garrett Miller of the Illinois Department of Transportation was identified by the mayor as the state contact; the mayor said Miller told him that when crews return they will fill potholes and address roadway surface issues while other work continues.

Because the state is leading the project, the mayor cautioned the council that the city does not control scheduling or many construction decisions. Council members did not take formal action; the discussion was recorded as a report to the council.

City officials asked residents for patience while the work finishes and said the completed project will yield a smoother road surface and updated sidewalks and signal placements.