Local and state officials dedicated a section of I-74 to honor former U-S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. The newly-named Ray LaHood Highway stretched six miles from the eastbound Sterling Avenue exit to the westbound lanes before the Murray Baker Bridge. LaHood helped secure federal funding for the I-74 reconstruction project that finished in 2006. He also recognized labor groups and lawmakers that helped see the project through.
“While my name may be on the sign, all of the people who worked on this share in that kind of honor and I am grateful to them in serving the people of central Illinois.”
LaHood says the I-74 project created new construction jobs at a time when roadwork was lagging in Central Illinois. Governor Pat Quinn, state senator Dave Koehler and state representative Jehan Gordon-Booth also praised LaHood’s bi-partisan efforts to secure funding for the project.