The City of Clinton received one and a half million dollars from the state of Illinois' capital fund on Tuesday afternoon.

Illinois State Representative Bill Mitchell made the official announcement Tuesday afternoon at Clinton City Hall in the Council Chambers with Clinton Mayor Carolyn Peters and several commissioners on hand. Commissioner Nan Crang explains the $1.5 million will go towards laying infrastructure to begin preparing for development on the west side of US Highway 51 off Kleemann Drive.

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Clinton Finance Commissioner Tom Edmonds says once businesses come to the area and are up and going, the city will then begin to see returns on the investment to expand on the west side of the city. Rep. Mitchell feels Clinton is poised for growth and the location of the project is prime for that growth to happen.

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City Administrator for Clinton, Tim Followell says the development of the road and infrastructure will open up not only opportunities for commercial development, but will also open up the opportunity for residential development in what is a longer term goal for the city. He adds this has all come about as a part of other successful expansion projects on the west side of Clinton.

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Clinton Mayor Carolyn Peters feels this is a great opportunity for the city to take advantage of and she is very happy to have the grant and thanks Rep. Mitchell for working with the city to make the grant a reality despite the time delay to receive the money.

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Commissioner Edmonds adds the west side development has taken decades to complete but many projects have already been completed and you Clinton residents are reaping the benefits of those. He also feels the city planning for the future is a part of the responsibilities of the City Council, and he feels this project is a stepping stone to the next step of that long term development.

City officials hope construction for the expansion of Kleemann Drive will get under way in the spring of 2013.