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Illinois Route 3 and Illinois Route 150 Study: City of Chester, Randolph County, Illinois
Welcome to the website for the Illinois Route 3 and Illinois Route 150 Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Study in Chester, IL. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has created this site to provide information about the progress of the study and to facilitate public input and participation in the study. Project updates, public involvement opportunities, and relevant information will be posted here throughout the projects. IDOT appreciates your participation and input.
Image above depicts truss bridge across the Mississippi River in the background with a statue of Popeye in the foreground
PUBLIC MEETING OCTOBER 14, 2026
IDOT’s first Public Meeting for this project is being held on October 14, 2026 from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm at the Chester Elementary School Gym 650 Opdyke Street, Chester, IL
The format will be an Open House, no formal presentation will be provided. Attendees can come and go at any time during the scheduled time to view exhibits and discuss the proposed projects with IDOT project engineers.
Overview
Illinois 3 and Illinois 150 are principal arterial roadways in Chester, Illinois. IDOT is conducting a preliminary engineering study to replace the corridor's 80-year-old pavement, which has required ongoing repairs and has continued to carry high truck volumes. Replacing the aging pavement is the most cost-effective long-term solution to improve reliability and serviceability for the traveling public.
The purpose of the preliminary engineering and environmental study is to determine the preliminary design of the project and will include efforts such as an assessment of safety needs, intersection and drainage improvements, as well as bike and pedestrian needs. For more information on the project development phases that lead to construction, is in the project timeline section.
Timeline
Construction of the various projects will be phased over time. The order of implementation of these projects will be based on project readiness, traffic management plans, pavement conditions, and input from the community. Different segments will be worked on at different times, not all at once.
Study Location
The Illinois 3/150 improvement projects extend from the intersection of Illinois 150 and Murphysboro Road in Chester, west along Illinois 150 and Illinois 3, and south on Illinois 3 to Pleasant Ridge Road.
The overall project length is 4.8 miles, encompassing both urban and rural segments within Randolph County. The study limits have been broken into several projects based on roadway characteristics, pavement conditions, and land use. These projects are described individually below.
Projects
Project #: 76K81
This portion of the study involves pavement removal and replacement of approximately 1 mile of roadway leading into the center of the town of Chester.
The existing roadway configuration includes one lane in each direction with either shoulder or curb and gutter. Sidewalk exists intermittently through this section.
Study Limits
Project #: 76N02
This approximately 0.5 mile portion of the study involves pavement removal and replacement for Illinois 3. The existing roadway configuration includes one lane in each direction with curb and gutter and sidewalks.
Study Limits
Project #: 76R26
This almost 1 mile portion of Illinois 3 will involve pavement replacement.
The existing roadway configuration includes one lane in each direction with a variety of curb and gutter or shoulder. There is existing sidewalk for a portion of this segment on the east side of Illinois 3.
Study Limits
Project #: 76K84
This almost 1.6 mile portion of Illinois 3 will involve pavement replacement.
The existing roadway configuration includes one lane in each direction with a variety of shoulder and/or ‘v’ gutter as edge treatments. There is an at-grade railroad crossing just south of the study limits, south of Water Street.
Study Limits
Project #: 76F83
This portion of the study involves approximately 4 blocks of Illinois 3 through the heart of Chester. It involves pavement replacement.
The existing roadway consists of one lane in each direction with on-street parking and sidewalks.
Study Limits
Project #: 76R24
This portion of the study involves approximately one mile of Illinois 3 from Water Street to Pleasant Ridge Boulevard. It involves pavement replacement.
The existing roadway consists of one lane in each direction with a variety of shoulder and/or ‘v’ gutter as edge treatments.
Study Limits
FAQ's
$42 million is identified for construction of these projects in the Department’s FY 2026-2031 Proposed Highway & Multimodal Improvement Program.
Funding for these projects will be a combination of federal and state dollars.
ROW needed for the projects has not been determined at this time. During the Preliminary Design process, the limits of construction and ROW needs will be established.
These projects are in the preliminary engineering phase so it is still too early to know when the projects will be constructed or how long each individual project will take to build.
Access to homes and businesses will be maintained during construction.
Get Involved
We are engaging the community in the following ways:
- Small group/individual stakeholder meetings
- Public meetings
- Website updates
- Briefings and presentations
- Media releases
Public Meeting
IDOT will be holding Public Informational Meetings throughout the development of the study to allow the public to view the improvements of these projects and provide comments. The initial public meeting will focus on an overview of all project contracts.
Information on Public Meetings that have occurred will be posted here to view, including Public Meeting announcements, Public Meeting press releases, Public Meeting Displays, and Public Meeting brochures.
Public Meeting #1
IDOT’s first Public Meeting for this project is being held on October 14, 2026 from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm at the Chester Elementary School Gym 650 Opdyke Street, Chester, IL
The format will be an Open House, no formal presentation will be provided. Attendees can come and go at any time during the scheduled time to view exhibits and discuss the proposed projects with IDOT project engineers.
Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS)
An important part of the project is public participation. IDOT utilizes Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) as a way to continually engage stakeholders in the study. As identified in IDOT’s CSS policies, stakeholder involvement is critical to a study’s success. The CSS process strives to achieve the following:
- Understand stakeholder’s key issues and concerns
- Involve stakeholders in the decision-making process early and often
- Establish an understanding of the stakeholder’s role in the study
- Consider all modes of transportation
- Set a project schedule
- Apply flexibility in design to address stakeholder’s concerns whenever possible
For more information on IDOT’s CSS process.
Contact Us
IDOT values your comments and questions. IDOT will provide responses to all questions and strive to do so in a timely manner.
Please email your comments to IDOT, or if you prefer, you may contact us by U.S. mail or phone:
Illinois Department of Transportation
Attn: Mr. Brandon Humphreys
1102 Eastport Plaza Drive
Collinsville, IL 62234
(618) 346-3413