Editor's note: This story was originally published in the Belleville News-Democrat.
Construction at the St. Clair County Courthouse in Belleville will soon cause a temporary street closure.
Starting Monday, the first block of South First Street between West Main and West Washington streets will be closed to through traffic, according to a construction notice from the county.
The county is demolishing the courthouse’s exterior steps at the southwest entrance to eventually provide street-level entry on that side of the building, which means it will become accessible to people who can’t climb the stairs.
The construction project also includes plans to expand the entry lobby and improve the security checkpoint there before people can enter the building’s offices or courtrooms.
As construction crews continue working on the steps, the southwest entrance to the building and the pedestrian crosswalk tunnel between the South First Street public parking garage and courthouse are closed to visitors. The building’s main entrance across from the fountain on Public Square remains open.
Renovations are expected to continue at the southwest entrance until spring 2025, which will intermittently affect road and building access.
To help visitors plan their travel downtown and to the courthouse during construction, the county is providing updates on lane restrictions, parking and building access at its website, co.st-clair.il.us.
The work is part of an estimated $14 million in total construction at the courthouse, which includes completed upgrades to prisoner holding cells, freight elevators and new, energy-efficient windows.
More than half of the cost, $9.3 million, is covered by federal COVID-19 relief dollars from the American Rescue Plan. The remaining $4.7 million will come out of Public Building Commission funds.
The Public Building Commission is a board that manages all county buildings and properties, including the courthouse, Belle-Clair Fairgrounds and MidAmerica St. Louis Airport.
Lexi Cortes is a reporter with the Belleville News-Democrat, a news partner of St. Louis Public Radio.
