Committee approves January 2025 project letting, truck-route grant and culvert replacement petitions

McLean Countys Land Use and Transportation Committee approved a set of road and bridge actions, including the January 2025 project letting (multiple resurfacing and cold-in-place recycled projects), a class 2 truck route and weight-limit resolution connected to an IDOT funding award, and a petition to replace a large aluminum box culvert in Chaneys Grove Road District.

Committee members moved and seconded the items and approved them by voice vote; individual roll-call tallies were not recorded in the transcript.

County highway staff described the projects included in the January 2025 letting. Projects listed were: - Stringtown Road: a cold-in-place recycled resurfacing project of about 5.5 miles from just south of Stanford to Covell. Staff said coring samples have been taken and mix-design cores are under review. - Route 66 bike trail segment near Lexington: roughly three-quarters of a mile and funded in part by a DCEO grant (as stated in the meeting packet). - A township road resurfacing near the Meadows Elevator, running from Route 24 to the county line; county crews previously widened ditches and placed gravel and will now place hot-mix asphalt under the contract. - Road work related to the Sapphire Sky Wind Farm: staff said the full county/township road project covers about 2.5 miles, but only about 1.5 miles were used by the wind-farm construction; the countys contract for 2025 covers the portion of county responsibility.

On the truck-route item, highway staff explained the county applied to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Truck Access Route Program (TARP) in November 2023 and only learned in November 2024 that the county was awarded funds. Staff said the award will reimburse part of project costs; the packet lists $360,000 as the TARP amount tied to the Levereux Lexington Road upgrade. Staff described the programs current parameter as "$45,000 per lane mile" for project funding and said the county is finalizing paperwork with IDOT so it can receive the funds. The committee approved a resolution that designates the Levereux Lexington Road as a class 2 truck route and establishes a year-round weight limit as described in the packet.

The committee also approved a petition to replace a large aluminum box culvert for Chaneys Grove Road District; county staff said the project will be bid for the culvert material and the county day-labor forces will assemble and install the unit with a 50/50 material and labor split with the township.

Administrator Taylor noted the packet shows the $360,000 TARP award and that Chenoa Township received $63,000 related to a separate TARP application for a remaining section of road funded as part of the bids.

No amendments or changes to funding levels were made during the meeting; members approved each item by voice vote and closed the agenda items.

Votes at a glance - January 2025 project letting (multiple resurfacing and CIR projects): approved by voice vote; mover recorded as Member Duffy, second Member Fagan; outcome approved. - Class 2 truck route and year-round weight limit for Levereux Lexington Road (TARP funding): approved by voice vote; mover Member Abel, second Member Leffler; packet lists $360,000 in TARP funds to be received by county. - Joint culvert replacement petition (Chaney's Grove Road District): approved by voice vote; mover Member Duffy, second Member Leffler.

The committee set no additional reporting requirements at the meeting beyond standard bid and contract processes and directed staff to finalize paperwork with IDOT to receive the TARP funds.