Chicago Construction News staff writer
More than two dozen Bloomington-Normal leaders travelled to Washington, D.C., last week to advocate for up to $22.75 million in federal funding for four key infrastructure projects.
The trip, organized by the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council (EDC), is part of the long-running One Voice initiative, which has helped secure nearly $200 million in federal funding in the past.
One Voice, under the leadership of the Bloomington‐Normal Economic Development Council, is a pro‐community campaign that has brought together leaders from the City of Bloomington, the Town of Normal, McLean County, labor unions, local educational institutions, and local private businesses. These groups form the One Voice Task Force. The campaign aims to make McLean County a stronger economic force and a better place to live.
Each year, the One Voice Task Force picks local projects to support as they seek federal funding. We then travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with our congressional delegation and showcase our community’s united support of the projects.
Requested funding for 2025 would support improvements in transportation, airport accessibility, road infrastructure, and STEM education:
- Connect Transit Transfer Center ($2 million request) – Funds would help build a two-level parking facility above the new transit hub in downtown Bloomington, supporting urban revitalization and green initiatives.
- Central Illinois Regional Airport (CIRA) Passenger Boarding Bridge ($2.25 million request) – The airport seeks funding to replace an outdated boarding bridge and upgrade another, improving ADA compliance and accommodating larger aircraft.
- Hudson Township Road Upgrade ($3.5 million request) – The project aims to improve a critical three-mile stretch of N 1475 East Road, which serves as an alternate route for Interstate 39 during closures.
- Illinois State University (ISU) STEM Building ($15 million request) – The funding would supplement existing resources to construct a new 37,000-sq. ft. STEM education facility, featuring labs, a rooftop greenhouse, and collaborative learning spaces.
If approved, the ISU STEM facility would require specialized high-tech infrastructure, while the airport project would involve aviation-related structural work to meet federal safety standards.
