Stimulus Bill Means Billions for Illinois CHICAGO, IL (wsiu) - Under the economic stimulus plan president Barack Obama plans to sign this week in Denver, Illinois would receive nearly $1.58 billion for infrastructure improvements.

The money would be for highways and bridges, public transit and water projects

State officials must now try to set priorities for spending the money while managing competing pressures from communities, watchdog groups and federal regulators over how the allocations are made.

Illinois would be receiving the fifth-largest package - after California with $3.9 billion, Texas with $2.8 billion, New York with $2.7 billion and Florida with $1.7 billion. © Copyright 2009, wsiu