BLOOMINGTON — The east-side highway will be the topic of two informational meetings set for March 5 at the Normal Community High School auditorium.

The highway steering committee is holding the meetings as work on the $1.1 million study gets started.

The meetings will be from 1 to 4 p.m. and 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The committee will review the project history, the study schedule and a community involvement plan.

A 30- to 45-minute presentation will be given at the beginning of each session and will contain the same information.

The town of Normal, city of Bloomington and McLean County are funding $300,000 of the study with the remaining $800,000 coming is from a federal highway grant.

Under the proposed area of study, a stretch of McLean County that starts at Towanda-Barnes Road and extends three miles to the east will be considered for the proposed highway that likely would connect Interstate 55 near Towanda to Interstate 74 near Downs.

An option not to build the highway also will be considered.