Latest News
Building Blocks of Success: IDOT announces March dates for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program Workshops, March 9-31, 2021
The Illinois Department of Transportation is hosting free virtual workshops in March as part of its Building Blocks of Success series for firms interested in participating in the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program, strengthening their skills and bidding on state projects. The workshops are open to all, but some are tailored to specific districts/regions of the state.
The workshop dates and topics are:
- March 9: Extra Work (T&M), 10 a.m. to noon
- March 11: Construction Materials Requirements, 10 a.m. to noon
- March 16: Landscape Material and Other Requirements, 10 a.m. to noon
- March 18: Prime Contractors’ Perspective, 10 a.m. to noon
- March 23: Getting Paid, 10 a.m. to noon
- March 25: Required Documents, 10 a.m. to noon
- March 29: Quick Books Part 1, 10 a.m. to noon
- March 30: Quick Books Part 2, 10 a.m. to noon
- March 31: Quick Books Part 3, 10 a.m. to noon
Building Blocks of Success will be conducted through April. Workshop information, including dates and times, will be made available through Eventbrite at bit.ly/DBEworkshops. Advance registration is required.
Questions can be directed to the DBE resource center at (312) 939-1100.
Administered by IDOT, the DBE program provides minorities, women and other eligible small businesses an opportunity to participate in highway, transit and airport contracts that are federal and state funded. For more information on becoming a certified DBE and learning more about IDOT resources that are available, visit www.idot.illinois.gov/dbe.
Follow IDOT on Twitter at http://twitter.com/IDOT_Illinois/. Updates on construction and traffic information are available at www.travelmidwest.com.
Get On Board: March 22–26, 2021
Join us for a virtual business-to-business networking event that will kick off on March 22, 2021 at 10:00 AM. This year’s event will offer various panels on working with the CREATE partners, railroads and public agencies, and opportunities for networking and participating in workshops. Click here to view the flyer.
Please register at tinyurl.com/CREATEGetOnBoard2021
CSX Selects Construction Manager for the Forest Hill Flyover (P3) and 71st Street Grade Separation (GS19)
The CREATE partners are pleased to announce that CSX has selected TranSystems and a team including six Illinois Disadvantaged Business Enterprises to provide construction management for the CREATE Program’s Forest Hill Flyover (project P3) and 71st Street Grade Separation (project GS19), two of four projects that comprise the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project (75th St. CIP). Read the full announcement here (PDF).
CRAIN’s Freight Forum Highlights CREATE
The CREATE partners thank CRAIN’S Chicago Business for spotlighting CREATE’s role in shortening commute times, addressing environmental challenges, and improving freight movement throughout the Chicago region. According to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, “industries that rely on the frequent shipment of goods – manufacturing, construction, retail and wholesale trade – add more than $158 billion annually to the area economy.” The CREATE Program is proud to strengthen Chicago’s historic role as freight handler to the nation.
CRAIN’S multi-part freight forum also highlights the need to consider economic growth and technological development through an equity lens, reminding us that today’s transportation decisions can have impacts for decades to come.
To view the forum and learn more about how CREATE is helping keep the ‘GO’ in Chicago, visit: https://www.chicagobusiness.com/forum-freight
Completion of Franklin Park CREATE B1 Project Will Reduce Delays to Metra and Freight Trains
Metra and Canadian Pacific, along with the CREATE partners, are pleased to announce the completion of the Canadian Pacific Crossover Upgrades project (B1). This project eliminates commuter and freight train delays by installing five crossovers and associated signaling on the Metra tracks serving the Milwaukee District West Line and Canadian Pacific, principally between the grade crossings of Scott Street and Ruby Street. This project also installs a crossover between the Indiana Harbor Belt and CN tracks, located between Chestnut Street and Grand Avenue. A crossover is a pair of switches that connects two parallel rail tracks, enabling a train on one track to cross over to the other. Read the full announcement here (PDF).
Rail, government officials mark 75th Street Corridor project in Chicago
As discussed in this October 2, 2018 Progressive Railroading article, public officials and rail industry representatives held a ceremony to mark the funding of the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project in Chicago.