A new section of Illinois Route 255 near Godfrey is now open to motorists.
The freeway has been extended from Seminary Road to Humbert Road. Work on that section of Route 255 had been delayed because of problems with an embankment that caused the pavement to crack.
The last part of Route 255, from Humbert to Illinois Route 111, is expected to be completed in November. When it’s finished, Route 255 will run from I-270 at Edwardsville to U-S Route 67 in Godfrey.
The cost of the entire projectis $22 million, mostly federal funds. Officials celebrating the opening of the new section on Friday said that it created or supported 285 jobs.
"The Illinois Route 255 extension will bolster safety and provide a more convenient route to Godfrey and Alton residents traveling to the St. Louis area," said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin in a statement. "Transportation investments like this that combine federal, state and local funding are one of the best ways to boost economic development in a community."
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