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Curtis Road Grade Separation and Complete Streets Project

Dear Residents,

The Village could not be more excited about this grant. On behalf of the Village, I would like to thank you; all the Village’s local, state, and federal legislators (past and present); and all our supporting community stakeholders. With our combined hard work, and through our passionate advocacy, the Village’s decades-long dream of the Curtis Road Grade Separation and Complete Streets Project is becoming reality. We stand in success on the platform that we collectively built.

This is a generational and transformational investment, not only for the Village but for the entire Champaign-Urbana-Savoy region. A special thanks to all our neighboring communities, the University of Illinois, Canadian National, and our partners who have lent their voice to support this project. In particular, I would like to thank our friends at Champaign County First and at the Regional Planning Commission. The Village shares in this success because of the efforts and dedication of these organizations.

The purpose of this webpage is to provide project related information for all interested parties. This page will be updated as additional information is available. If you project related questions, please contact the Office of Management and Budget by phone at (217) 359-5894 or via email at omb@savoy.illinois.gov. We are excited to continue this project and it is now incumbent on the Village to deliver, which I am confident we will successfully do.

Sincerely,

John P. Brown
Village President

RAISE Grant – The “What”, “Where”, and “How”

  • This project has been in the regional transportation plan for decades and the Village previous applied for funding through various grant applications.
  • The total estimated cost of this project is $40,365,400. The Village previously secured $17,681,813, approximately 43.8% of the required funding, and is using those available funds to complete the design engineering aspects of the project. 
  • This grant provides $22,683,587, approximately 56.2% of the project's cost, to the Village to construct the Curtis Road Grade Separation and Complete Streets Project.
  • Not included in those totals are additional funding sources the Village secured for this project. This includes $2,000,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending which was awarded in December 2022.
  • This grant puts the Village in position to complete the project as originally intended, as opposed to a scaleable project as discussed by the Board of Trustees in September of 2021. Preliminary planning for the project included the following elements:
    1. Curtis Road would be improved from two lanes to a 5-lane cross section with dedicated turn lanes at key locations, transitioning to a 3-lane cross section with bi-directional center turn lane.
    2. Off-street shared-use paths would be installed on the north and south sides of the roadway from Wesley Avenue to the intersection of Curtis Road with US 45.
    3. The intersection of Curtis Road with US 45 would be improved to accommodate turning lanes as well as pedestrian crosswalks on all legs of the intersection and pedestrian countdown signals.
    4. Complete street accommodations for pedestrians and bicycles would continue from Curtis Road to First Street.
    5. The relocation will involve raising the railroad tracks approximately 15 feet and lowering Curtis Road approximately 5 feet to achieve the roadway underpass.
    6. This project will require railroad track realignment, which is offset 60 (+/-) feet east of the existing track. The track relocation will start just north of the existing railroad crossing at Church Street and end at the existing railroad bridge over Windsor Road; a total distance of 2.1 miles.
    7. The railroad bridge, 183 feet in length and 19.5 feet wide, will span the new Curtis Road width. 

RAISE Grant – The “Why”
As part of the Champaign-Urbana-Savoy region’s long-term plan and strategic vision, the Curtis Road Grade Separation and Compete Streets Project will:

  • Improve safety, provide economic benefit, and protect the environment.
  • Provide immediate and uninterrupted public safety and emergency response access to the eastern half of the Village currently bisected by Canadian National (CN). CN has provided letters of support for this project and is funding a portion of it.
  • Provide safe access to sidewalks and roadways for pedestrians, bicyclists, and people with disabilities. 
  • Maintain railroad delivery and transportation efficiencies that may come with future freight and high-speed rail improvements.
  • Serve as a reliable southern access point from Willard Airport to the University of Illinois which includes the South Farms, Research Park, and the U of I main campus.
  • Provide corridor access for future research, development, medical facilities, and economic growth on Curtis Road between I-57 and US-45. This project is key to Savoy’s future growth and prosperity.
RAISE Grant – The “When”
  • The Village generally anticipates construction to start in 2026 and to be completed by the end of 2028.
  • The Village has completed Phase I engineering and is currently working on Phase II Engineering. We anticipate Phase II to be complete sometime in 2025.

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