Wait and see: Edwardsville officials eye state budget talks to complete Schwarz Street project

EDWARDSVILLE - The Schwarz Street construction project in Edwardsville may be stalled if funds from the state are not approved during a special state budget session presently underway.

The Edwardsville Public Works Department and other city officials are anxiously awaiting the state’s decisions to see what to do with the big project. Edwardsville City Engineer Ryan Zwijack said if there is a state budget shutdown after the June 30 deadline, work will have to stop on July 1.

“It seems this is happening more and more each year,” Zwijack said. We are taking some of our people on the Quinn Street project and switching some of the workers to Schwarz Street project to get as much done as we can before the possible shutdown. We still have quite a bit of work to do on Schwarz Street. We are hoping to get as much curb and sidewalk ramp work buttoned up as we can before June 30.”

The Schwarz Street Project was budgeted at $530,000 and a lot of funds are tied up in the state budget, Zwijack said.

“This is prime construction season,” he said. “We are trying to stay ahead of the game.”

Zwijack said the Schwarz Street Project contains work on storm sewers, sidewalk, curb and gutter and resurfacing work. The projection was to complete the project by August.

He said once the project is completed, it will add a lot aesthetically to Downtown Edwardsville, connecting from Illinois 157 to Illinois 159 and Buchanan Street.

“We have done some storm sewer work and patching up inlets,” he said. “The changes will be great once it is complete. It is one of the main thoroughfares through town. A lot of people in town use it and it will make a big difference.”

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