Morrison, IL, City Administrator Barry Dykhuizen received the following information, on Wednesday, March 28, 2018, that impacts those who travel on IL Route 78. Brad Cushman is Studies and Plans Senior Squad Leader, with the Bureau of Program Development, at Illinois Department of Transportation District 2.
Cushman emailed CA Dykhuizen, “I spoke with our Operations Engineer yesterday[, Tuesday, March 27,] and she confirmed that this emergency project is ‘a go.’ Once we get three bids, we will start. I know one has come in already. She said they could possibly start work next week at the earliest….If you happen to get any calls, make note that we still are proceeding with the total reconstruction [of Route 78.] This is just a bandaid with no salve.”
Mayor Everett Pannier elaborated. “Brad Cushman is the IDOT engineer who has been working on the design to completely re-do Route 78, from the south edge of town to the railroad tracks. This would include curb-to-curb replacement, bike path, and changes to existing drives and turning areas.”
“What he is saying is that IDOT has decided also to do an emergency overlay on the current street, as a temporary improvement to the surface. This would only take IDOT’s contractors about three days to complete and would be done during school hours. It is a bandaid fix. The plan that Brad is working on is still on the table and will proceed, hopefully, in the near future.”
