Illinois

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) launched the $25 million Fast-Track Public Infrastructure Grants initiative on May 12 to accelerate work on planned public infrastructure projects around the state this summer, as many local governments face lost revenues, impacting their ability to finance these projects.

The Illinois Tollway's $4 billion reconstruction of the 22-mi.-long Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) from Balmoral Avenue to 95th Street will provide congestion relief and reconstruct aging bridges and other infrastructure to meet current and future traffic demands, while also addressing regional transportation needs in the western Chicago area.

Stevenson Crane Service Inc. (SCS), a South Holland, Ill.-based company specializing in mobile heavy lifting equipment, has expanded and diversified parts capabilities. The company has expanded its parts service area into international parts procurement and the sourcing of hard-to-find items, including distributorship for the Load King line, which has taken over production of the Terex truck crane and boom trucks.

Walsh Construction, one of the largest contractors in the city of Chicago and in the United States, is leading the temporary conversion of a portion of the McCormick Place Convention Center into an Alternate Care Facility (ACF) for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) patients.

The Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers' 52nd Annual Convention combined with the Aggregate Miner Safety Conference was held in Springfield, Ill., March 4 to 5, 2020, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The first day was capped by an opening reception, which offered more time for convention attendees to visit the expo and network with others and participate in a live auction to benefit IAAP's political action committee.

John Deere, in collaboration with the UAW, the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and the Illinois Manufacturers' Association, announced it is producing protective face shields at John Deere Seeding Group in Moline, Illinois. Deere employees will initially produce 25,000 face shields to meet the immediate needs of health-care workers in several of its U.S.

GOMACO Corporation recently recognized Road Machinery and Supplies Company as a Top Ten Distributor for sales in the 2019 fiscal year. The award was presented in recognition for outstanding sales and distribution of GOMACO equipment in the United States.

GOMACO Corporation recently recognized Finkbiner Equipment Company of Burr Ridge, Ill., as a Top Ten Distributor for sales in the 2019 fiscal year. The award was presented in recognition for outstanding sales and distribution of GOMACO equipment in the United States.

The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors approved 10 construction and eight professional engineering services contracts totaling nearly $270.3 million at its March Board meeting on March 26. Nearly $375 million in contracts has been approved by the Tollway Board in 2020, as part of the ninth year of the Tollway's 15-year, $14 billion Move Illinois capital program.

Utility relocations delays prevented crews from starting work on the $68 million I-55 Interchange project on Weber Road in Romeoville, Ill., in 2018, but in early May 2019 operations began in earnest. The work zone covers Weber Road from 119th Street north/Rodeo Road of the interchange to 135th Street/Romeo Road to the south and 1/2 mi.

Lansing, Michigan-based Christman Constructors was named the most innovative construction firm in the country for developing an iOS-based application that brings job-placement logistics into the 21st century. The new application, CopperWorks, was created to meet the need to modernize manpower management in the building trades industry while addressing industry-wide workforce shortage.