Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Another beam that will hold the new Sangamon County Transit Center in place has some more important names on it.

Some local lawmakers were among those that took part in this beam signing Tuesday, after federal lawmakers took part in another ceremony back in November.

Sangamon County Board Chair Andy Van Meter had plenty of praise to go around for Republicans who helped make construction a reality.

“Our state delegation took several difficult votes in order to obtain the money to get this transportation center built. We want to sign the beam that’s going to go in to the transportation center in a couple of months when they’re moving vertical.”

The beam is currently on the first floor of the Sangamon County Complex, and Van Meter encouraged the public to come sign it, too.

Among those signing Tuesday were State Senator Steve McClure (R-Springfield) and State Representative Mike Coffey (R-Springfield).

“This is truly an effort done with local leaders, and state leaders, and with national leaders,” said McClure.  “For everyone to come together in a bipartisan way on a project this important just shows you that, at the end of the day, sometimes really good things can happen in this state, and this is a great example of that.”

“All the members of the General Assemblies who represented any parts of Springfield got together, and we agreed to make the rail relocation and transportation hub our number one request on the Capital Bill,” said Coffey. “So, we all voted for the capital bill and supporting [sic] it knowing that this project will get the funds that they [sic] need.”

Coffey, McClure, and Van Meter also credited former Congressman Rodney Davis for helping with his connections in Washington, as well as President Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for green-lighting the federal funding.

Sources say Governor JB Pritzker is expected to sign one after the first of the new year.