Governor Quinn Announces Record Minority Participation on Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge Project

EAST ST. LOUIS – Governor Pat Quinn today announced unprecedented minority workforce numbers for Illinois’ portion of the construction of the new I-70 Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge across the Mississippi River. The 24 percent minority workforce participation is 10 percent higher than the goal set by the Federal Highway Administration and sets a record for construction projects in the Metro East area.

“We are thankful for the diverse group of skilled trades people, contractors, and engineers who are working on this vital link between our two states,” Governor Quinn said. “We are proud that our minority workforce far surpasses the federal requirement and sets a record for the Metro East region. This bridge has already made a great impact to the area and will continue to do so for many years to come.”

Construction on the project started in February 2010. The bridge will carry I-70 traffic from Illinois to Missouri connecting I-70 at the I-55/I-64/I-70 interchange on the Illinois side to I-70 near Cass Avenue in Missouri. It will have two lanes in each direction with room to expand to three lanes. The Illinois portion of the project is being managed by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). The new bridge is scheduled to open to traffic on February 9, 2014. The public will be able to attend an event to celebrate the completion of the bridge on February 8, 2014.

“We are very proud of this significant accomplishment, but we know our work is not done yet,” Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider said. “We will continue to work diligently on all construction projects to further increase our minority and female workforce. Creating opportunities for everyone to work with us is a top priority and by working together, IDOT and labor unions have been able to produce a finished product that will display the hard work of people from all backgrounds for generations to come.”

The Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge will improve safety, reduce congestion, and stimulate economic development between Illinois and Missouri. The estimated $714 million project is funded through a combination of federal and state funds. This includes $42 million from Governor Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program, $301 million from other Illinois funding sources, $66 million from Missouri and $305 million in federal funds.

To date, of the more than $14 billion in Governor Pat Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! capital program dedicated for transportation needs through 2014, IDOT has awarded approximately 6,000 projects, creating and supporting more than 175,000 jobs. These have included improvements to transit, rail, 7,520 miles of roadways and 1,280 bridges. For highways alone, that includes more than $14.6 billion.