SPRINGFIELD - A building in downtown Harrisburg has been chosen to house more than 100 state transportation workers, state Rep. Brandon Phelps said Thursday.

The facility, on U.S. 45, is to become home to employees in the Illinois Department of Transportation's Traffic Safety division. The workers currently are headquartered in Springfield.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who pushed for the move, is expected to be in Harrisburg this afternoon for an announcement of the selection of the site, Phelps said.

The governor said moving the workers will help the economy in Southern Illinois. The DOT said lease payments for the office in Springfield are too high.

Phelps, D-Harrisburg, credited state Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, for prompting the governor to investigate the move.

"I'm giving him most of the credit for this," Phelps said.

The building, which is owned by the Southeastern Illinois College Foundation, is 3,200 square feet and is on a direct, four-lane road from the Marion exit on Interstate 57, Phelps said.

"We thought it was a good fit," Phelps said.

The transfer of the office has sparked controversy among the workers in Springfield, as well as lawmakers who represent the capital.

They argue the state could save money by simply moving the workers into existing office space at the DOT's main headquarters on Springfield's east side.

A public hearing on the proposed move is set for 5 p.m. July 31 in the state Capitol.

The meeting is part of a state-mandated process Blagojevich must follow when he tries to move or close offices.

The General Assembly's Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability is predicting up to 300 people will attend.

Following the hearing, a panel of state lawmakers will vote on whether to support or oppose the move. However, that vote is not binding, meaning the governor could still forge ahead with the transfer.

Kurt Erickson can be reached at kurt.erickson@lee.net or 789-0865.