CLINTON COUNTY — The Illinois Department of Transportation has informed Plocher Construction out of Highland that it has been awarded the contract to replace the bridge and culvert, and install a 3’ grade raise for IL 161 over Crooked Creek, 8.6 miles east of IL 127 in Clinton County.

Centralia City Manager Dan Ramey says he or another city representative will attend a specifications meeting next week for that project, which will result in 161 being closed.

According to Ramey, the contractor will be submitting a construction schedule at that meeting to IDOT to review which will have their requested dates of shutting down Rt 161 which is to reopen by December 2019 along with the no more than14 days to shut down Shattuc Rd. and the no more than 120 days of shutting down Noltings Road.

He says he’ll keep everyone updated on the project, but he expects it will begin in a 2-3 weeks after next week’s meeting and IDOT approves the schedules which will give them time to notify businesses of the closure dates. ‘

According to Ramey, IDOT said they would be also installing road sign warning for at least a couple weeks letting the local traffic know the dates RT. 161 will be closed.