Crawford and Richland Counties receive state economic funding

Monday, April 6, 2026 at 2:12 PM

By Steve Anderson

The state of Illinois has announced it is sending economic development funding to two southeastern Illinois counties.

$2.1 million is coming to Crawford County to help create an industrial park east of Robinson and $2.3 million to the city of Olney in Richland County to prepare its 80-acre industrial park near the Walmart Distribution Center west of the city for future growth.

The Crawford County Economic Development Association will use the money for the purchase of 123 acres near the Illinois Route 1 and Route 33 intersection at Gordon Junction as the site of the new industrial park.

Economic officials from both counties say that the news is a major win not only for the two counties themselves, but for all of southeastern Illinois. The money is part of a $60 million investment in the Regional Site Readiness Program.