Gov. J.B. Pritzker | Facebook
Gov. J.B. Pritzker | Facebook
The state of Illinois is releasing $4 million in project funds to begin preliminary engineering on the Cairo, Illinois, riverport project which is projected to have a significant economic impact in the Southern Illinois region.
$40 million in Rebuild Illinois capital project funds have been allocated for the Alexander-Cairo Port project, Paducah Sun reported. The project is still about two years away, but officials are optimistic for the project.
"Through our Rebuild Illinois capital plan, our investment in the Cairo port will fuel new jobs and newfound economic prosperity all across the region — one that’s been left out and left behind far too long," Gov. J.B. Pritzker wrote in an April 10 Twitter post.
A Northern Illinois University study estimates that the project will create approximately 500 Illinois jobs and inject more than $100 million in the local economy, creating a ripple effect throughout the region.
“Rebuild Illinois is really about investing in the long-term impact so that we can have true economic success for our entire state, and this port project has the potential to represent the very best of our state’s future,” Pritzker said, reported Paducah Sun.
The port is expected to revitalize Cairo's economy which has fallen on hard times. According to U.S. Census data, the region's population has shrunk from approximately 15,000 at its peak to 2,120 in 2019.
Alerts Sign-up