Motorists who have been waiting for years for 9th Street in Mt. Carmel to be repaved will have to wait even longer. The Illinois Department of Transportation had planned to let bids on the project in June with work slated to start this summer. But on Friday's "Ask The Mayor" segment on WSJD, a disappointed Mayor Joe Judge said there's been another delay centering on the traffic lights along 9th Street...

 And when the new traffic lights are installed, motorists will see a big difference when making a left turn...

 If there is a silver lining, Judge said the state has agreed to waive the city's 10% share of the traffic light project.

 With all of the delays, Judge would not offer a guess as to when the 9th Street would go to bid...

Judge said the state admits that 9th Street in Mt. Carmel is the worst stretch of road within the DOT's Effingham district. At their meeting two weeks ago, the city council approved spending $112,500 which is the city's share of the $6.5 million project. Judge said back in 2017 when the project was first introduced, the city's share would have been only $88,200. Motor Fuel Tax funds are being used to pay for the city's share of the work. When work eventually begins, the state estimates it will take a full year to complete since extensive sidewalk work is also part of the project.