Community shares ideas to improve Ill. 57 at public meeting

QUINCY (WGEM) - Tri-State residents shared their ideas on how to improve Illinois 57 at a meeting Thursday night.

Through a Planning and Environment Linkages Study, The Illinois Department of Transportation is looking into transportation-related improvements.

Officials want to improve traffic flow and make it safer for residents who live and work along the highway.

“We have so much truck traffic. You’ve got Kohl’s down there, Huber, ADM, you’ve got the farm community,” said Quincy Mayor Mike Troup who was in attendance.

IDOT might make roads bi-directional, improve intersections and crosswalks or build a Marblehead bypass, among other ideas.

The project runs between Broadway Street in Quincy and I-172 South of Marblehead, which is about 13 miles long.

“We thought it was a good time for us to look at alternatives, see what needed to be done on the 57 corridor to make sure that it safely accommodated traffic and all users in the area,” IDOT Region 4 Engineer Jeff Myers said.

Many people who attended Thursday’s meeting live and work along the highway.

“I have concerns for everybody involved because how it affects people where they live at, farming and also where all the businesses are down along Highway 57 and how it’s gonna impede on them,” said Attendee Rich Simmons.

Douglas Peterson is a downtown business owner who thinks improving traffic flow and adding bike lanes will benefit the city.

“Any time that you can develop downtown and any time that you can make it easier to access downtown for places outside, the better it’s gonna be for all of us so we can get more people into Quincy quicker,” Peterson said.

Troup said the project could make it easier for drivers traveling out-of-state.

IDOT plans to finish their study in winter of this year. After IDOT finishes the study, they will coordinate with Federal Highway Administration.

Myers said they still do not have any funding for the project.

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