Contact: Stephanie Roth
(202) 366-0660
FHWA 03-06c

Washington, DC - Illinois is receiving a $1.5 million federal transportation grant to widen State Highway 146 to four lanes from East Cape Girardeau to State Route 3 in Alexander County, U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said today.

The grant is part of a federal program that supports transportation infrastructure and economic development in the Delta region of the U.S.

"Investing in new road projects will help countless travelers and residents alike better connect to the heart, spirit and soul of the Delta region," said Mineta. "The funding we're announcing today paves the way to a safer and improved Highway 146 that boosts economic potential and opportunity in the area."

The Department of Transportation is providing more than $24 million in grants to eight states in the Delta region. In addition to Illinois, states receiving grants are Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.

The highway, transit and safety law signed by President Bush in August 2005 provides an additional $40 million for transportation projects in the Delta region. It also provides $1 million to the Delta Regional Authority for a study of transportation needs and priorities in the eight states. The Delta Regional Authority is a federal-state partnership established to further economic development in the Delta.

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