Jacksonville considers fuel tax funding for downtown street project

The College Avenue and South Main corridor just off Jacksonville’s Historic Downtown Square is headed for a makeover that could change how cars reach downtown, how the bridge approach looks and how easily customers can reach nearby businesses. City leaders were being asked to use motor fuel tax money for the project, which is tied to replacing the South Main Bridge and improving the approach to the square.

The funding request goes before the Jacksonville City Council through the city clerk’s office, with a vote set for the June 22 City Council and Workshop Meeting. The money would come from motor fuel tax funds, which Illinois restricts to transportation costs, making the request a road-and-bridge decision rather than a general beautification spend.

The bridge work has a concrete footprint. Illinois Department of Transportation bridge records identify the South Main Street bridge over Town Brook as structure SN 069-6024, and construction material tied to the project shows the existing structure SN069-6024 would be removed and replaced with a proposed structure, SN069-6035. The same project listing also calls for HMA milling and resurfacing of South Main Street for the full length of the project, meaning the work would extend beyond the bridge itself and into the roadway feeding downtown.

That scope matters in Jacksonville, where the municipal services department says it is responsible for 115 miles of city streets and sidewalks. Every dollar aimed at College Avenue and South Main has to compete with that wider network, even as city officials weigh the pressure points around one of the city’s most visible downtown gateways.

The project also fits a broader push downtown. Jacksonville Main Street says the historic central business district is in a renaissance focused on restoring traditional traffic patterns, improving access and adding recreational amenities. The Jacksonville Illinois Business Directory describes downtown as being in an “exciting renaissance” aimed at restoring traffic patterns and improving access, underscoring that the College Avenue-South Main work is part of a larger effort to make the square easier to reach and more attractive to visitors, shoppers and merchants.