Illinois Business Journal Illinois Business Journal
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Blagojevich, Republicans at odds over $3.2 billion capital budget
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Gov. Rod Blagojevich announces a new jobs strategy at a Decatur-based road paving company. In Southwestern Illinois, road construction-related companies wonder when the state will pass its capital budget, three years in the making.		 . By ALAN J. ORTBALS
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   The $15.6 million expansion of Illinois Rte. 3 in Waterloo, the $25 million relocation of Illinois Rte. 159 around Collinsville and the $14 million extension of Governors' Parkway in Edwardsville - along with billions of dollars of other projects - are all waiting on the passage of the governor's capital improvement program by the General Assembly.
   In his State of the State address last month, Gov. Rod Blagojevich proposed borrowing $3.2 billion to pay for these and a host of other capital improvements across the state. Of the $3.2 billion, road improvements would gobble up $2.3 billion and would be repaid by [continue]

Design costs increase as engineering
projects wait on state budget money
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By KERRY L. SMITH
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   Although earlier state dollars afforded engineering firms the "Opportunity" to perform preliminary design work on a host of major roadway projects across Southwestern Illinois, these projects still need the green light - in terms of funding for final design and construction - in the form of passage of the state's $3.2 billion capital budget.
   Case in point: the Gateway Connector, a 37-mile-long outer belt that would wind from Troy south and west through St. Clair County to Interstate 255 near Columbia in Monroe County. Woolpert Inc. senior vice president Doug Sitton, whose firm is one of several partnering on the design and construction, says the project hasn't started yet because the capital funding hasn't been authorized.
   "Our contract was part of the Opportunity Returns package that [continue]
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California developer teams with Peabody Energy to develop lakefront community
By ALAN J. ORTBALS

   MARISSA - Peabody Energy and Praxis Development LLC have formed a joint venture to develop Peabody's long-dormant strip coal mine in Marissa, according to Adam Hill, acting economic development director for the village.
   Engineering and planning are currently under way and the parties are hopeful of starting construction this summer.
   For several years, Peabody has been seeking a partner in the redevelopment of the former River King No. 6 Surface Mine, which operated from 1964 through 1992. Praxis is a newly formed corporation of California developer Glen Hierlmeier who is also developing the Forest Lakes project in Caseyville. Hill says Hierlmeier has many years of experience and has developed more than 30 master-planned communities.
   The Marissa project will cover 2,200 acres and will contain some 1,200 home sites developed in two phases, according to Hill.
   Hill says the concept plan calls for a first phase of approximately 900 acres with 750 homes, nearly all of them waterfront properties. The second phase will be roughly 1,300 acres with an additional 400 to 500 homes. The first phase is projected to be about an eight-year project. No timetable has been established for phase two. Almost [continue]