The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) in the US has authorised additional funding for the third phase of the Route I-80 Corridor Management Program.

The $4.9m funding’s receipt of notice was announced by US-based engineering service provider Bowman Consulting Group and partner H.W. Lochner.

It will be used for consulting services associated with the programme for the Illinois counties of Will, Kendall, and Grundy.

With this new amount, the programme’s total obligated fund increases to $6.9m. The remaining $23.1m will be committed and authorised for expenditure later as specified by the IDOT.

Last year, Bowman and its partner were selected by the IDOT to provide construction corridor management for improvements to the I-80 development.

The I-80 corridor improvement project aims to address issues related to the interstate’s condition, safety, and operation. The infrastructure is more than five decades old.

The 16-mile corridor via Joliet and Will County carries approximately 80,000 vehicles daily.

Worth $1.2bn, the project consists of three distinct phases. It includes the replacement of more than 30 bridges along the corridor and the construction of reconfigured auxiliary lanes and interchanges to relieve congestion.

Bowman chair and CEO Gary Bowman said: “We’re pleased to receive this additional funding to continue advancing our efforts on this critical transportation infrastructure initiative.

“We look forward to continuing to support this and other transportation initiatives in Illinois and nationwide.”