The Korte Company led the Design-Build construction of a new IDOT Materials Testing and Research Center, a cutting-edge, 80,000-square-foot facility that will advances the testing of highway construction materials for quality and durability. This single-story structure includes 43,000 square feet of laboratory space, along with offices, training areas, and conference rooms.
As a trusted Design-Build partner, The Korte Company delivered a modern facility to replace IDOT’s outdated lab, built in 1934. The existing structures had long struggled with costly repairs, insufficient space, and inefficient handling of samples and equipment. The new facility addresses these challenges with enhanced environmental controls, improved air quality, and streamlined operations, all while reducing overhead costs. A dedicated loading dock also increases safety and efficiency for sample and equipment deliveries.
The facility serves multiple functions, housing the Bureau of Materials lab and offices, the Bureau of Research offices and library, the District 6 materials lab, and the Bureau of Programming’s traffic instrumentation laboratory.
IDOT’s Bureau of Materials plays a critical role in testing a wide range of materials, including asphalt, concrete, crushed stone, soil, steel reinforcement, and bridge components. The new lab enables continued innovation and reinforces IDOT’s nationally recognized leadership in asphalt pavement performance testing.
While this project significantly enhances IDOT’s capabilities, its benefits extend statewide. Local agencies throughout Illinois depend on the qualified materials lists developed through IDOT’s testing programs to guide their infrastructure projects.
