Although it is approximately three to four years away, state officials gave residents a look at a portion of Illinois Route 115 on the south side of Kankakee.

Representatives of the Illinois Department of Transportation recently shared plans on the project at a public meeting.

The project includes a rebuild of Route 115 from U.S. Route 45/52 (West Water Street) to Jeffery Street in Kankakee.

IDOT’s website, il115kankakee.org, shows a timeline for the project, and a look at what will change following completion of the project, which is preliminarily slated for spring 2028.

The final report is slated for winter 2026. The project will move to the second phase of the final design.

“In the past few years, Downtown Kankakee has seen a resurgence of small business and new developments. The Kankakee River runs through Kankakee, providing vital resources to the community along with creating desirable fishing and boating conditions for everyone to enjoy,” according to the project website, il115kankakee.org/about.

The East River Walk is currently under construction along the river.

In the future, the riverwalk will move westward on the north side of the river.

IDOT said in the online presentation that the work includes evaluating bicycle and pedestrian paths, curb and gutter, lighting, traffic signal, structure preservation and safety.

“As part of IDOT’s commitment to community-centered design, the study includes a shared-use path, designed to create a safer, more comfortable experience for everyone – whether you’re walking, biking or using mobility devices,” IDOT said.

What led to the proposed project?

IDOT listed:

• The pavement condition has a 3.8 rating (out of 9), which falls under the poor category and has significant fatigue cracking.

• There were a total of 63 crashes between 2017–24, with 11 resulting in injuries. Twenty-one of these crashes involved a fixed object.

• In 2019, the average daily traffic count was 4,050 per day. That average is expected to increase to 5,103 by 2046. IDOT said it is pertinent to note that 6.6% of traffic is trucks.

• The 115 project is part of IDOT’s Rebuild Illinois program.

Over the next six years, IDOT said it is planning to improve more than 3,200 miles of highway and nearly 9 million square feet of bridge deck, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation.