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Southwest Connector Planning and Environmental Linkages Study
Connecting Southwest Illinois Communities and the St. Louis Metro
Study Area Map
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is conducting a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study to identify potential transportation improvements along Illinois 3, Illinois 154, and Illinois 13/127, passing through the communities of Murphysboro, Pinckneyville, Sparta, Red Bud, and Waterloo. The Southwest Connector PEL Study is a collaborative, integrated approach to transportation decision-making that will identify improvements to reduce travel times, improve safety, facilitate the movement of freight, and enhance connectivity between communities in southwest Illinois and the St. Louis metro area – providing greater access to jobs, education, healthcare, recreation, and more. It also includes a re-evaluation of proposed improvements to Illinois 13/127 between Murphysboro and Pinckneyville.
The website, southwestconnector.com, includes an overview of the study objectives, existing conditions data, and a draft of the study’s Purpose and Need document. Visitors can review materials, complete a survey and sign up for email updates.