(BENTON, IL) — Some improvements are coming to a busy road in Franklin County. The Franklin County Board Tuesday night approved a resolution for work to be done on County Highway 39 at Licata Road close to Rend Lake. Two bids were opened on June 12 for the project – one from E.T. Simonds in Carbondale for $1.06 million and another from Southern Illinois Asphalt for $1.08 million. E.T. Simonds was awarded the contract and will replace just over four miles of oil and chip road with asphalt. Work should begin in about two weeks.