Public Involvement

The goal of the SIP is to outline a program of activities to actively engage stakeholders throughout the Phase I process. The objectives of the SIP are to:

• Identify stakeholders
• Identify the roles and responsibilities of the lead agency
• Establish the timing and type of outreach activities with all stakeholders
• Establish stakeholder requirements for providing timely input to the study development process
• Provide an approach for evaluating the effectiveness of the public-participation program and refine, as appropriate, to respond to public needs and concerns

Please click here to view the Stakeholder Involvement Plan. 

The PSG consists of representatives from the Illinois Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and the study consultant engineering team. The PSG is tasked with performing detailed analyses of subjects that require various environmental, engineering, and project development expertise. As a result, the PSG will determine study recommendations and decisions for this study.

The CAG functions as a liaison between IDOT and the public as a whole and helps generate interest in and knowledge about the study. This helps ensure opinions, values, and concerns of the public are shared with the project team, and that information developed by the team is distributed to the broader public.  It is important that the CAG be representative of all the varied interests and viewpoints that exist within the study area. The CAG is comprised of volunteers who represent a wide variety of local interests, such as elected leaders, cities/villages, economic development, environment, industry, residents, businesses, tourism, commuters, and others with a stake in the study’s outcome.  The Illinois Department of Transportation will consider this input as it makes decisions during the project development, along with the results of engineering and environmental studies.

The CAG members were initially selected by the PSG as a result of the public involvement conducted and a review of the project stakeholder groups  and CAG applications that were submitted after Public Meeting #1.  Invitations were sent to CAG members representing residents, local commuters, local businesses, local agencies, school districts, fire districts, local special interest groups, and churches from Fayetteville, St. Libory and the surrounding area.

11/09/22 CAG Meeting #1 - The first CAG meeting for the project was held on November 9, 2022, from 6 – 8 p.m. The purpose of the first CAG meeting was to introduce the project, explain the IDOT project development process and the need for the project.   and develop a project Problem Statement with the CAG.  .  Thirteen (13) CAG members attended this meeting representing Fayetteville residents, Mascoutah residents, Freeburg School District,  St. Clair County Farm Bureau, Fayetteville businesses, St. Libory school district, Village of St. Libory, St. Libory Fire District, Mascoutah Fire District, and local commuters.

Members of the CAG raised several important issues during the meeting which are summarized below.  The meeting included an open discussion as well as the completion of a Community Context Audit (CCA),  This CCA  is intended to be a guide to identify various community characteristics that make each transportation project location unique to its residents, its businesses, and the public in general. The audit is designed to consider the community’s history or heritage, present conditions, and anticipated conditions. The results of the audit are used to inform the PSG on the priorities and concerns of the community as they relate to the project study area.  Key findings from the CCA include:

• Keep the bridge open during construction as the bridge is a vital link. It provides a critical connection for Emergency Management Services (EMS), school buses, mail delivery, farm equipment, and those traveling to and from work.
• Widen the bridge as it is very tight accommodations for farm equipment.
• Preserve this archaeologically rich area and the quality habitat. 
• Upgrade the lighting and provide better roadway signage along the project route

The members of the CAG also helped in developing the project problem statement.  A problem statement identifies the problems within a project study area that need to be addressed.

IL 4/15 KASKASKIA RIVER BRIDGE STUDY PROBLEM STATEMENT

“The existing bridge carrying IL Route 4/15 over the Kaskaskia River is aging and in need of continual repairs. There is a need to provide a cost-effective, long-term improvement to provide reliable access across the Kaskaskia River for farm equipment, Emergency Management Services, school buses, and everyday users of the bridge and to reduce the need for continual repairs, while demonstrating respect for our environment.”

For a summary of the CAG meeting and the CCA, please click on this link:

• CAG Meeting #1 Summary -  Please click here
• CAG Meeting #1 Presentation – Please click here
• Community Context Audit results – Please click here

01/17/2024 CAG Meeting #2 - The second CAG meeting for the project was held on January 17, 2024 from 6 – 8 p.m. The purpose of the second CAG meeting was to explain the alternative development process, discuss alternatives,  potential benefits, and impacts.  Nineteen (19) CAG members attended this meeting.  Please click on the CAG Meeting #2 Summary link below for a list of those that attended and a detailed summary.

Two alternatives are being considered as the preferred alternative for carrying forward to design. One slightly to the north of the existing bridge and one slightly to the south.  As part of the alternative development process, two key stakeholder issues were kept in mind:

• Keep the bridge open during construction as the bridge is a vital link. It provides a critical connection for Emergency Management Services (EMS), school buses, mail delivery, farm equipment, and those traveling to and from work
• Widen the bridge as it is very tight accommodations for farm equipment

CAG members stated they preferred the north alternative because of fewer displacements, less tree removal, and less wetland impacts

For a summary of the CAG meeting, please click on this link:

• CAG Meeting #2 Summary -  Please click here
• CAG Meeting #2 Presentation – Please click here

Public involvement for the Illinois 4/15 Kaskaskia River Bridge Study will include multiple opportunities for the public to participate in the study through public informational meetings. These meetings will foster public awareness of study developments and alternatives that are being evaluated. These meetings also will provide a forum for stakeholder input, including concerns and comments regarding study alternatives. Comment forms will be available at all public meetings and online on the project website. Public informational meetings may be held in-person, virtually, or a combination of both formats.

06/15/22 Public Meeting #1 – IDOT held the first IL 4/15 Kaskaskia River Bridge Study in-person Public Meeting on Wednesday June 15, 2022, from 4 – 7 p.m. at the St. Pancratius Church Hall in Fayetteville, IL.  This Public Meeting was an open forum meeting.  The Project Study Team was available at this meeting to answer questions, take comments, and provide information about the project.

For those who were unable to attend this meeting in person, public meeting exhibits and brochure can be viewed below. Approximately 132 people attended this Public Meeting, and 38 comments were received.  Most of the comments requested that the bridge that carries Illinois 4/15 over the Kaskaskia River not be closed during construction.

• Public Meeting #1 Exhibits - Please click here to view the IL 4/15 over Kaskaskia River Public Meeting #1 Exhibits
• Public Meeting #1 Brochure - Please click here to view the IL 4/15 over Kaskaskia River Public Meeting #1 Brochure

03/13/2024 Public Meeting #2 – IDOT held the 2nd IL 4/15 Kaskaskia River Bridge Study in-person Public Meeting on Wednesday March 13, 2024, from 4 – 7 p.m. at the St. Liborius Parish Center, 911 Sparta St. in St. Libory, IL.  This Public Meeting was an open forum meeting.  The Project Study Team was available at this meeting to answer questions, take comments, and provide information about the project.

For those who were unable to attend this meeting in person, public meeting exhibits and handouts can be viewed below.  Approximately 84 people attended this Public Meeting and 12 comments were received.  Most of the comments agreed with keeping the bridge open during construction, and those that expressed an opinion on the alignments shown, favored the north alternative.

• Public Meeting #2 Exhibits – Please click here to view the IL 4/15 over Kaskaskia River Public Meeting #2 Exhibits
• Public Meeting #2 North Alternative - Please click here to view the IL 4/15 over Kaskaskia River Public meeting #2 North Alternative Strip Map
• Public Meeting #2 South Alternative - Please click here to view the IL 4/15 over Kaskaskia River Public meeting #2 South Alternative Strip Map
• Public Meeting #2 Brochure - Please click here to view the IL 4/15 over Kaskaskia River Public Meeting #2 Brochure

03/19/2025 Public Meeting #3 – IDOT held a Public Meeting for this project on March 19, 2025, from 4:00–7:00 p.m. at the St. Liborius Parish Center, 911 Sparta St., St. Libory. The purpose of the meeting was to give the public an opportunity to provide input on the Preferred Alternative for the proposed replacement of the bridge.

Virtual Public Meeting #3 - For those who were unable to attend this meeting in person, public meeting exhibits and handouts can be viewed below.  Approximately 65 people attended this Public Meeting, and 3 comments were received.  One of these comments was favorable of the improvements included with this project and the other two included requests for additional project information.

• Public Meeting #3 Presentation -View the IL 4/15 over Kaskaskia River Public Meeting #3 Exhibits
• Public Meeting #3 Preferred Alternative Strip Map - View the IL 4/15 over Kaskaskia River Preferred Alternative Strip Map
• Public Meeting #3 Brochure - View the IL 4/15 over Kaskaskia River Public Meeting #3 Brochure
• Public Meeting #3 Comment Form - View the IL 4/15 over Kaskaskia River Public Meeting Comment Form.  

The Illinois Department of Transportation values your comments and questions. We provide responses to all questions and strive to do so in a timely manner.

All contact information is for the sole use of the Illinois 4/15 Kaskaskia River Bridge Study project.  When submitting a question or comment, your name will be added, if you choose, to the project mailing list so that you can be notified of any upcoming public involvement activities.

If you have questions or comments about this project, please contact Matthew Meyer at (618) 346-3160 or by e-mail at matthew.meyer@illinois.gov.  Or, you can mail:

Illinois Department of Transportation
Attn: Mr. Matthew Meyer
1102 Eastport Plaza Drive
Collinsville, IL 62234

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