Coles County will receive grant money for road improvements in the upcoming years as a part of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Highway Improvement Program.

State Representative Dale Righter announced that Coles County will receive $36 million for a five-year highway improvement plan.

“I am extremely pleased that Coles County will be receiving substantial amounts of money to improve roads,” Righter said in a press release. “I appreciate the work done by the state and local officials to bring this money into Coles County and helping build the safe infrastructure we need.”

Some upcoming improvements in Charleston will be to old Route 316 and the Lincoln Log Cabin state historic site, said Steve Sell, local supervisor for the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Old Route 316 will be resurfaced and will get a new shoulder from Illinois 130 to Illinois 16 because of the cracks in the road and chunks of loose asphalt.

“That is the oldest part of 316,” Sell said. “It is not a big project, but it will help a lot.”

Construction will likely begin on the road within the next 30 days, Sell said.

The state also will fund improvements to resurface parts of Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site and to improve the parking.