As the summer rolls along, road maintenance projects will begin to increase locally.
The City of Clinton's million-and-a-half dollar Center Street project is underway and DeWitt County Highway Commissioner Mark Mathon says they have small projects ready to get underway next month. According to Mathon, seal coat work is on tap for Parnell Road, Birkbeck Road, and Friends Creek Road.
Last year, the State of Illinois doubled the gas tax in hopes of having more money for infrastructure improvements. Mathon indicates most of the money they receive from motor fuel tax funds, or MFT, automatically go into yearly maintenance projects.
Revere Road is the next targeted spot for a major road renovation project coming up for the Highway Department. Much farther in the future, addressing roads that have not received much attention, specifically in the Waynesville area, will be a priority.
US Highway 51 in parts of DeWitt County has been susceptible to buckling in the intense heat we experienced last week. Mathon says be aware of that as you make your way around throughout the summer.