Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $13 Million for Downstate Truck Parking and Rest Area Improvements

Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $13 Million for Downstate Truck Parking and Rest Area Improvements

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $13,168,092 in federal funding for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to support infrastructure and accessibility improvements at Fort Massac and Salt Kettle Rest Areas in Massac County, Illinois. This funding, from the U.S. Department of Transportation's FY26 BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development) program, will reconstruct and expand truck parking at the Fort Massac and Salt Kettle Rest Areas by adding ADA-compliant bathrooms, improving roadway infrastructure and increasing truck parking capacity from 19 to up to 64 stalls at Fort Massac and by up to 41 new stalls at Salt Kettle.

"Safe, reliable rest areas are essential for the truck drivers who keep our economy moving and the travelers who rely on Illinois' roads every day," Duckworth said. "This federal investment will help increase truck parking and modernize rest areas in Massac County by expanding parking capacity, improving accessibility with ADA-compliant bathrooms and making travel safer for drivers. I'm proud to have helped secure this funding, alongside Senator Durbin, to strengthen our infrastructure, support our supply chain and keep Illinois moving forward."

"The open road, and the rest stops along the way, should be accessible to all who use it-truck drivers, Illinoisans, and visitors alike. This major federal investment-made possible through BUILD grants-will improve ADA accessibility and make more room for truckers who may be in need of a pit stop," Durbin said.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's FY 2026 BUILD program provided $1.5 billion in competitive discretionary grants for state, local and tribal surface transportation projects. This program targets capital construction and planning projects that have significant local or regional economic, mobility and safety impacts.

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