Herrin selected for $249,995 state grant to improve walking routes near junior high

The City of Herrin has been selected for a $249,995 Illinois Department of Transportation grant to improve walking routes serving Herrin Junior High.

IDOT listed the project among its 2026 Safe Routes to School selected projects. The award identifies the City of Herrin as the project sponsor and Herrin Junior High as the impacted school.

The selection was recorded May 7, 2026. The funding is designated for pedestrian improvements connected to the junior high, including closing existing sidewalk gaps, adding curb ramps, marking crosswalks and installing new signage.

Planned improvements

Closing sidewalk gaps would create more continuous walking routes for students and families traveling near the school. The project’s curb ramps would add accessible connections along those routes, while marked crosswalks would identify crossing locations more clearly.

New signage is also included in the listed scope. Together, the improvements are intended to establish clearer pedestrian connections around Herrin Junior High and make the route easier to navigate for people walking to or from school.

The grant amount sets the state funding associated with the selected project at $249,995. The award description does not divide that total among sidewalk work, curb ramps, crosswalk markings and signs.

What remains to be determined

The selection is a funding award; it is not confirmation that construction has started. The award document does not identify the exact streets involved, the number of sidewalk feet to be added, a construction start date or a completion deadline.

Those details will determine where residents, students, families and drivers may see future sidewalk, crossing or signage work. They will also provide a clearer timeline for the project’s delivery.

For now, the confirmed project scope is limited to the improvements listed in the award: closing sidewalk gaps, adding curb ramps, marking crosswalks and installing signage serving Herrin Junior High. The state selection gives Herrin funding support for those improvements, while the precise locations and construction schedule remain to be announced.