Durbin Kicks Off Public Signing of HUB Steel Beam

Sangamon County is displaying a structural steel beam for the Springfield–Sangamon County Hub on the first floor of the County Building. The beam is open for public signing ahead of its installation in the Hub’s structure, giving residents, local officials, and project partners an opportunity to take part in the early stages of the project. 

The first signing event took place Thursday morning, where U.S. Senator Dick Durbin joined County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter, County Board members, and community leaders to mark the occasion. Brief remarks were delivered before Senator Durbin became the first person to sign the beam.

Chairman Van Meter emphasized the significance of Durbin’s ongoing support, noting that federal involvement has been critical to moving the project forward. “We’re very grateful for his support on this whole project,” Van Meter said. “We wouldn’t be here without his support. We wanted him to be the first person to sign the original beam that’s gonna go into the Hub in two or three months when they start erecting the superstructure for the building.”

Senator Durbin reflected on how long the community had discussed the need for a unified transportation center and the years of effort that made it possible. “It’s something that as long as I’ve lived in the community we’d always discussed, but nothing ever happened,” Durbin said. “It was just ground to a halt politically, then we had an opportunity and did it. And this effort is a culmination of years and years of doing something about railroads.”

The Springfield–Sangamon County Hub will consolidate Amtrak, Greyhound, and Sangamon Mass Transit District (SMTD) services at a single location on 9th Street. The centerpiece of the project is a pedestrian bridge that will span the 10th Street tracks, directly linking the new Hub to the Sangamon County Building. The design aims to make it easier for residents, travelers, and visitors to access county services and transition between local and regional transportation options.

In addition to transportation functions, the Hub will feature a parking garage, improved streetscaping, consolidated county office space, and new amenities such as a grab-and-go coffee area and digital information screens. The building will also include permanent exhibits celebrating local history. Among them will be a major installation centered on the 1908 Springfield Race Riot, incorporating artifacts uncovered during archaeological excavations completed as part of the rail relocation project. Those excavated materials—linked to homes destroyed during the violence—are stewarded by the Illinois State Museum, which will partner with Sangamon County to design a community-centered exhibit for the Hub. Plans also include a dedicated space for the Springfield–Sangamon County Sports Hall of Fame.

The Hub is the largest infrastructure project underway in downtown Springfield and is viewed by county leaders as an essential investment in modernization, economic development, and long-term accessibility. Renovations to the County Building have created a new atrium that will directly connect to the future Hub, while the adjacent former State Journal-Register building will provide expanded room for public services and administrative functions.

As the beam signing period continues, County Board Chairman Van Meter encouraged residents to visit the courthouse and take part in this piece of the project’s history. “We’d like to invite everyone here today and everyone in the community to come in and sign the beam,” he said.