Building upon the smart infrastructure investments supported by State Senator Celina Villanueva, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced nearly $13 million in road and bridge improvement projects coming to the area. “Through these investments, both local residents and tourists will be able to travel more safely,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “By investing in our infrastructure, we are investing in our communities.” As part of IDOT’s latest Multi-Year Plan, the district Villanueva represents will see six infrastructure projects totaling more than $20 million. Some of the most vital projects coming to the area this year include the bridge replacement at Sanitary & Ship Canal and the reconstruction of bridges at ILL 43 near Harlem Avenue. These projects are part of IDOT’s multi-year plan, a $34.6 billion investment in construction projects for the next six fiscal years.  The $34.6 billion will go to highway reconstruction and preservation, bridge improvements, strategic expansion, system support such as engineering and land acquisition, and safety and system modernizations. Over six years, the funding will be dispersed to improve more than 2,500 miles of roads and nearly 10 million square feet of bridges. “These investments won’t just bring forth safer, stronger infrastructure, they will bring forth good paying jobs to help stabilize our local economy,” said Villanueva.