Budzinski Unveils 15 Local Projects Submitted for Inclusion in Upcoming Federal Funding Package

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) submitted 15 local projects for inclusion in the federal funding package in the upcoming fiscal year. These projects were submitted to the House Appropriations Committee as part of the Community Project Funding process. Each project was carefully selected based on strict criteria set by the Committee, as well as Congresswoman Budzinski’s firsthand understanding of the needs and challenges facing Illinois’ 13th District. The Congresswoman was able to select 15 projects to submit for consideration. To read more about these projects, click HERE or see below.

While 13 of these projects were previously approved by the House Appropriations Committee last year, they were excluded from the Continuing Resolution passed by House Republicans in March. In April, Congresswoman Budzinski convened a roundtable with local stakeholders and project leaders to discuss how the delay in funding would impact communities across the 13th district.

“The vast majority of these projects were already approved for funding, signifying an important step forward for our communities. Yet, earlier this year, House Republicans chose to exclude these projects, along with many others across the country, from their funding bill,” said Budzinski. “Now, I am once again making the case for these dollars. This funding will help revitalize our infrastructure, boost our local economy, and improve day-to-day life for families across our district.”

The projects submitted for funding consideration include (listed in alphabetical order):

1. Brooklyn Community Center Construction: The funding would be used to revitalize a historic building located on Route 66, “The Skating Rink,” into a multifunctional space for community activities.
2. Cahokia Heights East Interceptor: The funding would be used for construction of interceptor sewers to modernize the city’s sanitary sewer service and reduce sewage overflows.
3. Decatur-Macon County Beltway Northeast Connector Segment Design Engineering: The funding would be used for design engineering for the next segment of the Northeast Connector segment of the Decatur Beltway project.
4. Gillespie Rural Policing Technology: The funding would be used for street cameras and accompanying hardware to address multiple local security-related needs.
5. Illinois Terminal Expansion: The funding would be used by the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District to purchase two parcels of land from the City of Champaign to expand the Illinois Terminal.
6. Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory Expansion: The funding would be used for the construction of an expansion to the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois.
7. Juvenile Justice System Specialized Case Management and Wraparound Services: The funding would be used to provide a program of services which identifies and meets the treatment needs of juvenile drug dependent and alcohol-dependent offenders in Sangamon, Madison, St. Clair, and Champaign counties to reduce recidivism and help impacted youth become thriving citizens in their communities.
8. Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program: The funding would be used for several Upper Mississippi River improvement efforts, including navigation improvements and aquatic ecosystem restoration.
9. Parkland Way Reconstruction: The funding would be used to renovate the Parkland Way roadway to help better connect nearby communities with educational and vocational training opportunities at Parkland College.
10. Piatt County Buildings Capital Improvements: The funding would be used for building rehabilitation activities, bathroom renovations, and the installation of energy efficiency measures on buildings owned by Piatt County, Illinois, that are not used for conducting the general business of government.
11. St. Louis Downtown Airport Terminal Replacement and Modernization: The funding would be used to demolish the existing, aging, inefficient terminal originally built in 1980 and construct a modern, more economically viable general aviation terminal at the St. Louis Downtown Airport in Cahokia Heights, Illinois.
12. Urbana Park District Prairie and Weaver Park Site Rehabilitation: The funding would be used to improve restrooms/day-use facilities, utilities, grading, drainage, landscaping, parking, lighting, and infrastructure at Prairie and Weaver Parks.
13. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers General Reevaluation Report for East St. Louis & Vicinity: The funding would be used to initiate a General Reevaluation Report (GRR) within an approximate 86,000-acre study area that contains eleven communities, 126,745 residents, $8 billion in property value, over 46,000 structures, 167 critical structures and 8,700 acres of prime farmland to investigate structural and non-structural approaches to solving recurring flood risk challenges in the study area.
14. Village of Glen Carbon Drinking Water Plant: The funding would be used for the construction of a new 3,000,000-gallon-per-day water treatment facility.
15. Water Service Lines Replacement in Harristown: The funding would be used to replace aging water service lines, which will help to lower water loss numbers, remove existing lead service lines, and ensure safe, reliable water to the residents of Harristown.