ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Ill. – Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski requests assistance from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) after a viral TikTok video showed a traffic buildup at an interstate exit in O’Fallon, Ill.
The video, which has reached over 40.9 million views and 13,000 comments on TikTok, shows a driver passing a long line of cars on westbound I-64, waiting to get off of Exit 16 at O’Fallon and Shiloh, on to North Green Mount Road.
In Budzinski’s letter to IDOT, she mentions that the traffic has been a persistent issue at the exit and wants the department to take action to prevent accidents from happening.
“The confusion and congestion at this interchange creates a dangerous situation for local drivers and impedes the flow of traffic,” Budzinski said in the letter. “I’m grateful to the local resident who shared their experience with this exit on TikTok, and I look forward to working toward a solution that eases traffic and improves safety.”
IDOT is currently in Phase II of a three-phase project that will improve the I-64 interchange at Green Mount Road, along with the widening of I-64 from west of Green Mount Road to west of Route 158.
According to IDOT, the segment of I-64 has experienced 149 crashes in a 5-year period, which have included four fatalities.
Phase I of the project took 24 months to construct a study and the preliminary design of the project. Phase II will last 12-24 months to construct the final design, gather construction bids, and gather the right-of-way acquisition documents. Phase III of the project will begin the construction, which will last another 18-24 months.
“I urge IDOT to implement this expansion project as soon as possible so that we can ensure the safety of the thousands of Southern Illinoisans and others who utilize I-64 and the Exit 16 offramp every day,” Budzinski said.
To learn more about the project, visit IDOT’s website.
