State Route 161 is now reopened between Albers and New Baden.
State Representative Charlie Meier says the road was closed in 2022 following significant damage to the road due to mine subsidence from Monterey Mine #2.
After significant buckling, Meier worked with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Village of Albers, and mine owner ExxonMobil to come up with solutions. The solutions included a multi-year project to smooth the road and improve drainage.
Meier says this was a group effort and he wants to thank Albers Mayor Steve Schomaker and IDOT Operations Engineer Joe Monroe for their hard work and working to ensure that the road was fixed.
