By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – The Illinois Department of Transportation has agreed to spend $2 million to build a training center for minority contractors in the Metro East.
I-DOT officials met for the second time with the Metro East Black Contractors Organization Tuesday.
The meetings came after the organization threatened to shut down Interstate 64 unless I-DOT hired more minority construction workers.
Eric Vickers is a spokesman for the contractors.
We're also going to put together within the next 30 days a five-year plan for minority inclusion, Vickers said. But the progress has been very good and the achievement is substantial. So we're very pleased at this time.
I-DOT has agreed to spend the money over the next five years. The new training center will be in East St. Louis.
Vickers also says the two sides have come to terms on other issues, including increasing minority participation on the McKinley Bridge project.