Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has announced the $486m Spring Construction Program, which covers 200 road and bridge projects across the state.

The programme, which is set to commence in the coming weeks, is part of the state’s plan to create jobs and boost Illinois‘ economy by investing in transportation systems.

Governor Quinn said that the government is making Illinois’ transportation system stronger by carrying out one of the largest spring construction programmes ever.

"This bold investment will help put thousands of people to work, improving our roads and bridges and laying the foundation for economic development for years to come," Quinn noted.

One of the major projects includes a $32m investment to rebuild the Stony Island Feeder to the Bishop Ford Freeway/I-94.

"The government is making Illinois’ transportation system stronger by carrying out one of the largest spring construction programmes ever."

The project at the interchange that handles up to 64,000 vehicles per day includes the repair, reconstruction, removal and replacement of seven bridges.

Set to be completed in 2014, the programme also involves resurfacing and replacing pavement and intersection upgrading, in addition to upgrades to the lighting and signage to improve safety and ease navigation on the interchange.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced further Chicago-area transportation investments, which include a $19.4m bridge replacement project at Cumberland Avenue over the Kennedy Expressway, $3.5m in additional bridge repairs on the Kennedy, and $2.6m on resurfacing projects on IL Rt. 43/Harlem Avenue at Higgins Avenue in Chicago and on West 127th Street in Crestwood.

In 2009, Governor Quinn announced Illinois Jobs Now!, a $31bn capital construction programme of which $14bn was allocated for transportation through to 2015.

Of the $14bn, IDOT has so far awarded 5,336 projects, worth $12.68bn, creating and supporting 160,000 jobs.