Walsh Construction of Chicago has been awarded a contract to build a maximum security prison at Fort Madison and will be recruiting for construction jobs in Illinois.

The Iowa Dept. of Administrative Services awarded Walsh the $116 million contract for the 800-bed prison. The plans were announced Monday by the department.

Walsh was the lowest bidder for the new prison. Expected completetion date is Dec. 2012, and final negotiations are still ongoing before a written contract is put forth.

Approximately 300-500 workers will work at the prison once it is opened.

Those working on the prison project will primarily be Iowa residents. Under an agreement, Walsh Construction can only bring core employees to the job site.

Iowa code states that Iowa workers be given preference for the project.

Other bidders included: William Brothers Construction, Peoria, Ill., $117.5 million; the Weitz Co., Des Moines, $121.5 million; R.C. Construction LLC, East Peoria, Ill., $121.8 million; Knutson Construction Services, Minneapolis, $122.5 million; and J.E. Dunn Construction, West Des Moines, $126.7 million.

The Union Pacific Railroad is close to getting almost $100 million in federal money for track improvements, a move that could create hundreds of construction jobs in Illinois.

Sen. Dick Durbin has said that he’s confident this high speed rail project will get off the ground and get going.

The current agreement does not allow high-speed passenger rail. A new deal between Union Pacific and the Illinois Department of Transportation does not obligate Union Pacific to allow high speed rail trains.

Instead, the federal money will be spent on concrete ties and new rail on 90 miles of UP line between Alton and Springfield and between the capital city and Lincoln.

The railroad will own all the rights of the improvements, and high-speed rail can’t go forward without their approval.

Durbin doesn’t want to wait for the approval. He said he wants to move forward with the project now so that much-needed jobs open up.

About 900 jobs are expected to be created from the track improvements.

But a local union business manager said they’ve yet to receive any calls asking for people who can work, and Union Pacific is under no obligation to hire state workers. The railroad is supposed to supply the labor.

Durbin remains upbeat on the high-speed plans despite the lack of provision.

Illinois plans a record $5 billion in road work in the next fiscal year, which will open up thousands of construction jobs in Illinois.

Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig on Thursday said that will be a record amount.

Gov. Pat Quinn announced a five-year, $12.84 billion highway improvement program for 2011 to 2016.

State Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig said the $5 billion number isn’t limited to projects that will be started and completed this year. It includes projects begun earlier, but not yet completed and also projects that will start this year, but not be completed for several construction seasons.

Still, Hannig said, just a couple of years ago, the comparable number was less than $3 billion.

That includes $2.5 billion for the budget year that begins July 1. Combined with existing work, it will be a record construction year.

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Politicians and transportation officials have announced federal funding to reduce rail congestion and create nearly 1,500 construction jobs in Illinois.

The Englewood Flyover bridge project received $133 million in economic stimulus funding.

The project will create a railroad bridge to carry the north-south Metra Rock Island District line over the east-west Norfolk Southern/Amtrak tracks at 63rd St., near the Dan Ryan Expy. Ground will be broken on the project later this year, and it will be completed by 2012, said U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Chicago), who has promoted the project as part of the Chicago Regional Environmental and Transportation Efficiency program.

The project is expected to create 1,450 jobs, improve traffic on the Metra Rock Island line and cut Amtrak and freight delays. The triple-tracked bridge will carry Metra operations over all four tracks of the Norfolk Southern, and possibly a fifth track for a high-speed intercity passenger rail connection to points east and/or south.

“The single biggest source of delays in the Midwest is right here at the Englewood crossing,” said Amtrak chair Thomas Carper, at an announcement at the project site at 63rd Street. “This project is going to fix that. That’s how important this is.”

Mark Davis is a spokesman for Union Pacific Railroad. He says the project is a result of cooperation between railroads that serve Chicago and local, state and federal government agencies. “For our industry, the faster you can move through a large terminal area like Chicago, the more productive, the more environmentally-friendly, and in turn, the more efficient you can operate your business, and that’s the key.”

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Part of the goal of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was to create work for many of the country’s unemployed citizens. The idea worked better in one state, creating several construction jobs in Illinois and helping the state’s economy as a whole.

The Federal Highway Administration recently announced that Illinois ranked first among all 50 states as far as total expenditure of ARRA funds. So far, the federal economic stimulus has provided Illinois with $170,605,614, which is almost three times the expenditures in the next highest ranked state.

As a result of the stimulus bill, 239 highway projects have been started and 45 have been completed. On top of that, $180 million has been paid to contractors and consultants. Another 268 highway contracts have been awarded, totaling about $552 million.

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A new plan will help create hundreds of thousands of Illinois construction jobs during the more future.

Gov. Pat Quinn recently announced the creation of Illinois Jobs Now!, a $31 billion plan meant to aid the state’s lagging economy by creating 439,000 jobs during the next six years. This is the first statewide capital construction effort to become law during in more than a decade.

“This is a crucial economic recovery initiative that will generate what’s needed most in Illinois: jobs, jobs, jobs,” Quinn said. “Illinois Jobs Now! provides many long-awaited improvements to our bridges and roads, transportation networks, schools and communities.”

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A new program could help create Illinois construction jobs, but at a cost to taxpayers.

Last week the Senate approved a $29 billion public works program that would help rebuild crumbling roads and transit systems, in turn creating much-needed jobs. Officials are hoping the House will approve the bill soon. However, the program will be paid for by increasing taxes and legalizing video gambling throughout the state.

According to an article by the Chicago Tribune, the plan would pay $148 million in school construction money that has been owed for years to 24 school districts throughout Illinois, including $29.7 million to Chicago schools. Legislative leaders and Gov. Pat Quinn are negotiating another $1.5 billion in public works projects.

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A new bill will help create Illinois construction jobs.

Gov. Pat Quinn recently signed House Bill 289, which will help jumpstart Illinois‘ economy and create thousands of jobs through road construction projects.

“Illinois has suffered from 10 years without a capital plan,” Quinn said in a press release. “In just 10 weeks we were able to put a plan together that will get people working again this construction season. The Jump Start Capital Plan is going to create jobs, strengthen our economy and address our state’s overdue road construction needs.”

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A new batch of funding could help create more Illinois construction jobs and other full-time positions.

The Recovery and Reinvestment Act set aside $1.2 billion in funding for energy projects. Of that money, $48 million will go to two lab projects in Illinois. Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory will receive the funding, according to an article by The Associated Press

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is expected to receive $34.9 million – $25 million for infrastructure projects and $9.9 million for a neutrino detector. Argonne National Laboratory will receive $13.1 million to upgrade and replace major electrical switches and equipment.

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As the nation and most industries continue to weather the current economic recession, more Illinois construction jobs are being lost.

The State of Illinois‘ construction industry lost 13,400 jobs during December 2008. During the last four months, the construction industry has decreased by 28,300 Illinois jobs, more than 10 percent of the industry’s total workforce. The trade and transportation industry also saw a big decrease, losing 8,600 jobs during December, while the manufacturing industry lost 5,200 jobs.

Throughout the state, payroll employment decreased by 36,000 jobs during December, the seventh consecutive month Illinois has lost jobs. During November and December, Illinois lost a total of 73,600 jobs, the largest two-month decrease since 1990. There were a total of 505,300 unemployed people during December, higher than the 500,000 in February 1992.

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