The Marengo County Economic Development Authority has received a more than $400,000 grant to aid in connecting the two ends of the south industrial park.

Industrial Development Board chairman Mike Marshall said the funds, which total $417,000, will be used to connect the north and south ends of the park.

Currently, to travel from one end of the park to the other, drivers must get back out on the main road.

“The road runs east to west but there’s no connection,” he said.

Marshall said the new road would provide more and convenient access to current and future tenants.

“We’ve got two, potentially, new businesses looking to come in here,” Marshall said of the park. “It just makes the park more attractive to market but it also better serves the existing industrial tenants.”

The IDB expects to let bids and begin site work within the next 60 to 90 days.