URBANA — Work on Lincoln Hall is ahead of schedule, but that could quickly change if the Legislature balks at a spending bill attached to a bill for capital project funds.

Associate Dean Matthew A. Tomaszewski said "work is going along really well" at Lincoln Hall.

"In the first week of June, we crossed the 50 percent (completion) line; maybe we're a little ahead of schedule. We're within budget," he said.

The $57 million project is planned to be completed in April 2012, so that a move can take place over that summer, Tomaszewski said.

But the project faces a hurdle in seven days.

The Legislature must vote to authorize a $430 million spending bill attached to the original capital spending bill.

If not, Gov. Pat Quinn said he would suspend capital projects starting June 17.

Before adjourning at the beginning of the month, the Senate added $430 million in general spending to the capital projects bill.

Two local legislators say Republicans, and some Democrats, will not vote for the spending bills.

The bill was once rejected by the House because it would have increased general operating spending.

State Rep. Jason Barickman said legislators will fight Quinn's bill next week.

"We feel, and this goes across the aisle, that we did our job when we passed the budget that cut spending. For the governor to come back in the final hours of the session to work this up with Senate Democrats to take on this level of spending is ridiculous," he said.

"I would suspect we have enough votes," Barickman added.

State Sen. Shane Cultra, R-Onarga, agreed.

"We cut Quinn's budget. The state has to learn to live within its revenues, with the largest tax increase in history," Cultra said. "Senate Republicans are not going to have any part of $430 million in new spending. We're already not allowing for paying back old bills, and now they want to add more spending."

Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-Champaign, did not return a call for comment.

UI officials are unclear what the fight could mean for Lincoln Hall, the largest project on the Urbana campus.

Spokesman Tom Hardy said there was some concern that projects at all three campuses could be affected.

"I don't recall this happening before on a project where construction had started," said Associate Vice President W. Randall Kangas. "I would prefer not to speculate on numbers yet. We hope the Legislature can resolve the differences in the capital reappropriation bill soon."

It has been seven decades since the last major work was done on Lincoln Hall. The building, whose construction began in 1909, was full of asbestos and had other dangers, including low ceilings.

"There are gray areas right now. I'm just an optimist that work will continue," Tomaszewski said.