The Connecting Springfield – Jefferson and Madison Street Underpasses project, led by the Illinois Department of Transportation, created underpasses at Jefferson and Madison streets to eliminate traffic delays caused by passing trains. The $68.3 million project benefits nearly 20,000 vehicles daily, including emergency responders, by improving access and safety. New sidewalks enhance pedestrian and bike safety by removing at-grade rail crossings. The project also supports commercial growth, residential connectivity, and reduces noise, emissions, and crash risk.

Jefferson and Madison streets carry 10,610 and 9,200 vehicles daily, including transit and school buses, and connect directly to I-72. Both are critical for emergency access, with police, fire, the sheriff’s office, and two hospitals located within four blocks. This effort builds on the momentum of the Springfield Rail Improvements Project—a federal, state, and local initiative that has completed five downtown grade separations over the past nine years. The project was made possible by Gov. JB Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois capital program. Additional funding from the federal infrastructure law (IIJA) helped Illinois keep this and many other projects across the state on track.