U.S. 45 getting better visibility throughout Central IL

THOMASBORO, Ill. (WCIA) — One major highway in Central Illinois is getting more than $1 million in safety upgrades.

U.S. Highway 45 will be installing new lights from Flatville to Leverett Roads in Thomasboro. This is part of their highway safety improvements. People in and around Thomasboro say it’s overdue.

“It would be awesome to have more lighting out on this road,” said Elizabeth Stamps of Homer.

Stamps uses the highway at least four times a week.

“We had to drive up and down 45 every night. And it was very nice and dark. And I have a teenage driver who’s nervous to drive in the dark.”

Now, IDOT is providing a solution to her problem. The safety improvement project will help by installing new lights at 14 rural intersections on a four-mile stretch.

“In the evening when it’s foggy or rainy, it’s really hard to see,” Stamp said. “It’s hard to see the land lines. There’s a lot of little turn offs that come in and out, so all of a sudden you got headlights coming out from nowhere.”

In recent years, some of those accidents have turned deadly. Just ask volunteer firefighter Ryan Morrison who seen his fair share.

“I mean, there have been several fatalities on both of those intersections. So I’m all for more lighting and more visibility, especially Leverett,” he said.

Morrison said he’s seen hundreds of wrecks on that highway alone.

“In the state of Illinois, you have to go through the proper channels to get what you need. And sometimes, that requires a lot of accidents to happen to get more things for safety.”

Thomasboro Public Works Superintendent Chad Polsky feels the same way.

“Any kind of update like that is going to be a good improvement — and not just for the community, but for everybody that uses that intersection driving back and forth.”

An IDOT spokesperson said since the work isn’t on the highway itself and traffic impacts will be minor.

“I also wonder, especially with the corn, like, are there deer that are going to come running out in front of my car or anything like that? And I know more lighting will discourage some of that,” Stamps said, “and just, I think, make it easier for drivers to be courteous to one another, as well.”

IDOT has been working on this project since may. They expect to have it completed in about four months.

Here is a list of locations who will be getting a highway lighting update:

• US-45 & Leverett Road
• US-45 & Flatville Road
• IL-130 & Sidney Road
• US-136 & IL-47, US-150 & Staley Road
• US-36 & IL-130N
• US-36 & IL-130S
• IL-130 & IL-133
• US-36 & Arthur-Atwood Road
• US-36 & IL-49
• IL-49 & IL-133
• US-36 & IL-1
• US-136 & IL-49N
• US-136 & IL-49S

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.