WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Ill. (KFVS) - The final phase of a nearly 20-year road construction project is well underway in southern Illinois.

When completed, Illinois Route 13 will be completely expanded to six lanes, helping ease congestion between Marion and Carbondale.

IDOT Field Engineer Casey Teckenbrock said the project is moving smoothly as final work to connect the two largest cities in southern Illinois, Marion and Carbondale, begins.

Starting this week, demolition of both westbound lane bridges over Crab Orchard Lake begins, the biggest and most expensive part of the project.

“Just building all the embankments and bridges over the lake was the biggest piece of the puzzle,” said Teckenbrock.

This week, crews are also digging out the mud and debris from the lake bottom and replacing i

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