Governor joins Stadelman to announce $9 million in local road, airport work
State Senator Steve Stadelman joined Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker at two appearances Thursday to announce $9.1 million in state funds are heading to Rockford to educate and train mechanics to support the region's growing aeronatics industry and to make much-needed upgrades to South Alpine Road.
Calling them Rockford's "dream team," Pritzker credited Stadelman and State Reps. Maurice West and Dave Vella with an usually high level of cooperation as a legislative delegation and as collaborators with local officials in delivering state investment in the area's infrastructure and economy.
$2.6 million will strengthen aviation mechanic pipeline
For the second time in as many years, Stadelman secured $2.6 million for workforce development to support Chicago-Rockford International Airport. This year's funds will support 80 apprenticeships at AAR Corp. and further strengthen the pipeline for aviation mechanics needed in airport-based jobs.
Last year's $2.6 million went to Rock Valley College and Workforce Connection to help recruit, educate and train mechanics for jobs in the region's expanding aeronautics economy. The funds secured by Stadelman also allowed RVC to purchase a jet to prepare students to work on United Airlines 737s serviced by AAR, which now employs 350 mechanics compared to fewer than 100 in 2019.
Rockford's airport is "a continual provider of valued and skilled employment," Stadelman said, "so it's important for our state to make investments like this that give people the opportunity to learn aviation technology, which provides them good jobs to support families and also support the continued expansion of our local aviation industry."
More than 21,000 jobs are tied to Rockford's airport, which pumps $4.7 million annually into the local economy.
$6.5 million will rebuild south leg of Alpine Road
A state-funded $1.5 million resurfacing of South Alpine soon will take place between Charles Street and Harrison Avenue, while another $5 million is being spent to plan and design a longer-term modernization of Alpine from Charles Street south to U.S. Bypass 20, including pedestrian and bike paths, a total rebuild estimated to cost nearly $60 million.
While Alpine is Rockford's third busiest arterial street, it is an unmarked state route.
"Any elected official in local government knows that one of the biggest complaints we get are about the roads," Stadelman said. "You can explain it is a city road or township road or a state road and people don’t care. They don’t want to hear about it. They just want the roads fixed."
The state's $6.5 million investment comes on top of a 2014 resurfacing from Harrison to Sandy Hollow Road and a traffic signal upgrade at Cleveland Avenue-Florida Drive intersection, near the site of a 2021 pedestrian death.
Stadelman praises $19 million in state funding for mass transit in Rockford, Boone County
State Senator Steve Stadelman this week praised the historic $45 billion Rebuild Illinois capital spending legislation that he supported in 2019 for $19 million now on its way to Rockford and Boone County for mass transit projects.
Rockford Mass Transit District, which received $16 million last year to overhaul its downtown bus terminal, is getting another $16 million in Rebuild Illinois funds. Boone County will be awarded $3 million in mass transit grants for its administration and operations facilities, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced.
Statewide, 32 transit systems are receiving $113.8 million to advance 44 projects.
“Rebuild Illinois has brought countless improvements to our communities with new facilities, green energy transportation efforts and an increase in accessibility for our transit," Stadelman said.
RMTD Executive Director Mike Stubbe said the second $16 million in state funding comes at a critical time. Combined with federal money under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, RMTD can begin "transitioning to zero emission vehicles with more certainty and immediacy, which is vital to the long-term health and quality of life in our region.”