Pritzker announces 6-year, $20.7 billion road, bridge improvement plan
By GRACE BARBIC
Capitol News Illinois
gbarbic@capitolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker announced Wednesday the release of a six-year, $20.7 billion construction plan to improve roads and bridges throughout the state, an annual process which the Illinois Department of Transportation oversees to target infrastructure spending.
The Highway Improvement Program, funded through the Rebuild Illinois capital infrastructure plan passed in 2019, will reconstruct nearly 2,779 miles more miles of roads and 7.9 million square feet of bridge deck between fiscal year 2022 and 2027, according to the governor’s office.
The projects in the plan will create and support thousands of jobs, “bolstering our pandemic recovery in one more way,” Pritzker said at a news conference Wednesday in Springfield.
“This past year truly has brought home how important transportation systems are in connecting the lives of our residents and our communities, delivering food products to grocery stores, getting essential workers to their jobs and transporting patients to the hospital,” Pritzker said.
The Highway Improvement Program is a part of the larger $45 billion Rebuild Illinois infrastructure plan, which was a bipartisan effort to revitalize local economies that passed in the governor’s first year. The plan invests in roads, bridges, railroads, universities, early childhood centers and state facilities.
The projects outlined in the new multi-year plan will continue to create and support hundreds of thousands of jobs, Pritzker said.
Overall, the Rebuild Illinois capital plan is expected to support around 540,000 thousand jobs over its lifespan. But there are currently no estimates available on how many jobs the specific projects through the Highway Improvement Program will create.
About $33.2 billion was earmarked in the initial release of the capital plan for the transportation sector, with $25.3 billion specifically for roads and bridges. Most of that funding came from an increase to the state’s motor fuel tax, which was indexed for inflation each year, and increases to state licensing fees.
The Illinois Department of Transportation said the plan includes $5.79 billion for highway reconstruction and preservation, $4.82 billion for bridge improvements, $2.59 billion for strategic expansion, $1.43 billion for system support such as engineering and land acquisition, and $1.21 billion for safety and system modernizations.
Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman said the projects outlined in this plan are more than just projects.
“They will be the means for us to ensure our transportation system in Illinois is reliable, safe, and provides economic opportunity for everyone in Illinois – our guiding principle,” Osman said. “We will do so in a way that provides equity, and with a workforce that reflects the diversity in our greatest state, it remains the blueprint for how we rebuild Illinois.”
For the upcoming fiscal year 2022, approximately $3.32 billion has been identified to fund highway improvement projects.
Currently, some of the projects through Rebuild Illinois include a $173 million multi-year investment in Interstate 57 which will continue next year and run in segments through 2027, over $90 million worth of improvements to Interstate 55, and $40 million into Interstate 80 in northeastern Illinois, “making the road smoother and safer amidst the region’s exploding intermodal logistical growth,” Pritzker said.
A full list of the projects can be found on IDOT’s website.
Pritzker said the multi-year plan will build on progress made over the past two years, noting Rebuild Illinois has already improved over 2,700 miles of state and local roadways and 290 bridges since its 2019 passage.
“In every project we’ve made hundreds of safety improvements along the way, enhancing right of way accessibility, funding railroad crossing safety improvements and targeting locations tied to crashes, to keep everyone as safe as possible along their travels,” Pritzker said.
While the state’s gas tax is a major contributor to road and bridge projects, it has seen a “significant” reduction in revenue because of decreased consumption as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to IDOT.
IDOT said in its Highway Improvement Program report that the decrease was somewhat offset by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, one of the federal COVID relief packages passed in 2021, which allocated $353 million to IDOT.
Of the federal COVID-19 relief funds that went to IDOT, $227 million is included in the state highway program, the IDOT report stated. The remaining COVID relief funds will go toward the multi-year program for additional road and bridge projects.
IDOT officials said Wednesday that while the past year has been a challenge, projects stayed on schedule and they did not have to make any pandemic-related cuts.
Pritzker also announced that Amtrak will resume full passenger rail service starting July 19.
The Chicago-Milwaukee partnership with Wisconsin will resume next week, while the routes connecting Chicago to Quincy, Carbondale and St. Louis will operate at full capacity by the mid-July date.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Local News
Capacity crowd speaks out against Evergreen Park dispensary
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Additional chairs had to be brought out to seat an overflow crowd of Evergreen Park residents who attended a meeting April 15 regarding a proposed cannabis dispensary for the village. And many who were in attendance voiced their opposition to having a dispensary in Evergreen Park. Most of the people cited…
Countryside puts dog park on hold, will require leashes in two parks
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch The city of Countryside has put on hold building a dog park, but canines and their owners are still in store for a treat. The city council has unanimously approved a plan to permit dogs in City Park and Countryside Park this year. Previously, they were not allowed in the…
Bridgeview approves auto repair shop
Spread the loveMoves up time for May 1 village board meeting By Steve Metsch Bridgeview is getting a new automotive repair shop. The village board at its April 17 matinee meeting approved a special use permit that will allow a repair shop at 9010 S. Beloit Ave. There was no discussion among trustees. The board…
Summit Fire Department blood drive draws a crowd
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan The Summit Fire Department, along with the Village of Summit, and the Argo Summit Lions Club held a blood drive this past Saturday, and it drew a crowd that even impressed the American Red Cross. It took place from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. with non-stop donors walking through the…
Hodgkins toasts village businesses
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Hodgkins Mayor Ernest Millsap and the Board of Trustees celebrated the village’s businesses at its annual Business Appreciation Breakfast on April 10. Over 100 people gathered at the Hodgkins Administration Center for a hearty breakfast hosted by the village. Representatives from many businesses that are located in or that work…
Pickleball courts coming to Palos Park
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva There will finally be outdoor pickleball in Palos Park. In a process that went longer than anticipated, the Palos Park Village Council was able give the green light to get a pickleball project started on the Village Green. The council voted April 8 to award the contract to U.S. Tennis…
First Secure Bank to host American Eagle gold coin sale
Spread the loveFrom staff reports First Secure Bank & Trust of Palos Hills announced its annual May sale of 1-ounce and ¼-ounce American Eagle Gold Coins, produced by the U.S. Mint, will take place from 10 a.m.to noon on Saturdays, May 4, May 11, May 18 and May 25. The sale will take place at…
Donate teddy bears to our local police
Spread the love. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . Have you ever seen the 1955 movie The Night of the Hunter? The children in this movie show such bravery and acceptance in what life has thrown at them. They have to deal with unimaginable events and sadness. …
Boy Scouts collecting tattered flags for disposal
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Goodbye April, hello May. Our American Flag, the symbol of our country, should always be treated with respect. But after bearing Chicago’s brutal winters and hot blazing summers along with being in the…
Neighbors
No injuries in basement fire in Orland Park apartment
Spread the loveFrom staff reports A basement fire damaged a four-unit apartment building early Sunday morning in Orland Park. The fire was extinguished quickly and damage was kept to a small area of the basement, although smoke filled the building. Officials of the Orland Fire Protection District said there were no injuries and the cause…
Worth hires new management for Water’s Edge Golf Course
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Even an impending snowstorm could not damper the mood of Worth Trustee Laura Packwood regarding plans for the village’s Water’s Edge Golf Course. Packwood, who is the head of the golf committee, said that Orion, a company based out of Kansas City, Mo., became the official managers of Water’s Edge…
Cook County residents eligible for spay/neuter discounts in February
Spread the lovePet owners can bring their dogs and cats to participating veterinarians throughout Cook County to receive a $40 discount on spay or neuter services in February. The Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control are offering the spay and neuter program during February – Spay and Neuter Awareness Month. More than 200…
Teen driver charged in crash that killed Alsip girl
Spread the loveBy Bob Bong A juvenile was charged by Palos Heights police Monday with reckless homicide and reckless driving in the December 27 crash that killed a 14-year-old girl from Alsip and injured six other people. Palos Heights police did not identify the juvenile because of the driver’s age. The driver was charged with…
Let us grow, let us grow, let us grow
Spread the love The weather outside may be frightful, but the learning at St. Sym’s is delightful, is the message implied in a bulletin board designed by third grader Olivia Hernandez. School officials said Olivia was given the opportunity to design the bulletin board as a reward for the kindness she shows at school. Catholic…
Cold weather, warm hearts
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com Hi everyone. Welcome to February, the shortest month of the year, jam-packed with holidays like Lincoln’s Birthday, Washington’s Birthday–which are usually bundled together into Presidents Day–Groundhog Day, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday and Super Bowl Sunday. (Some of us just check…
‘Once in a lifetime’ funding coming
Spread the loveGov’t. invites biz owners, non-profits to apply From staff reports Local business owners and community-based non-profit leaders are invited to attend an online meeting designed to raise awareness of the American Rescue Plan Act and other economic recovery funding opportunities, and better understand what they need to do to be eligible for these opportunities. Dubbed…
Crime fighters will meet
Spread the loveBy Tim Hadac Residents of Police Beat 812 (Clearing, west of Central Avenue) are invited to attend their next CAPS meeting, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 9. The meeting will be held via Zoom in a webinar format. To obtain instructions and passcodes, call the Chicago Lawn (8th) District CAPS Office at…
Planned park in Palos Heights will have Olympic theme
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva The Misty Meadows subdivision in Palos Heights is getting a new park and it will be partially funded by a pair of famous local athletes. Plus, it will have an ice rink and an Olympic theme. NFL player Michael Schofield and his Olympic hockey gold- and silver-medal-winning wife, Kendall Coyne…