© 2024 WVIK
Listen at 90.3 FM and 98.3 FM in the Quad Cities, 95.9 FM in Dubuque, or on the WVIK app!
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

John Deere Road Ready for Black Friday

WVIK News
/
WVIK Quad Cities NPR

The Quad Cities' busiest street is ready just in time for Black Friday. After nearly a decade of planning and construction, the John Deere Road project in Moline, is finally nearing completion. 

At a press conference Tuesday morning, Ryan Hippen from the Illinois Department of Transportation announced that the project is wrapping up six months ahead of schedule. 

"Our increased throughlanes, our double left turn lanes, the intersection improvements, we're going to be improving safety in the corridor. We're going to be improving capacity." said Hippen. "The days of sitting through two or three stoplights waiting to get to work, or back home, or to shop in the area are going to be long past us."
Only some minor landscaping work is left. 

Moline Mayor Stephanie Acri says the project is finished just in time for what can be a hazardous time of year for drivers.

Credit WVIK News / WVIK Quad Cities NPR
/
WVIK Quad Cities NPR
Moline Mayor Stephanie Acri

"We're all blessed. We're blessed to have the constuction clear for our winter season. To make the roadway safer, it's always a little more challenging to navigate some constuction. So, it's a wonderful thing for our area." said Mayor Acri.

Over two years, the 68 million dollar project added fifth and sixth lanes to a nearly three mile stretch of John Deere Road from I-74 to 70th Street, and a new overpass connecting 41st Avenue Drive to Coaltown Road. All lanes on John Deere Road will be open Wednesday.
 

I'm currently a Senior at Augustana College, working on majors in Multimedia Journalism and Mass Communication and Communication Studies. In addition to interning at the station, I also work for the Augustana Observer, the college's official student newspaper, as a writer for the Arts and Entertainment section.