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"Even though we face the worst
fiscal crisis in this state's history, it's important that we
continue the road program as aggressively as possible," the governor
said. "This road program carefully balances our current financial
reality with the need for future growth by allowing us to maintain
and improve critical pieces in our transportation system.
"This road program means the
goods and services that fuel our economy will keep moving. It means
the working men and women of our state and neighboring states can
get to their jobs every day. And it means jobs. The program will
support 178,000 jobs in the construction industry. Would we have
liked to invest even more in the road program? Absolutely. But
considering the fiscal crises facing this state, this investment is
not only reasonable, it's ambitious."
The multiyear road program
covers fiscal 2004-2008 and calls for the improvement of more than
2,300 miles of roads and replacement or rehabilitation of more than
570 bridges.
"The plan provides continued
funding for interstate improvements downstate in communities like
Glen Carbon, O'Fallon and Peoria and key projects in northeastern
Illinois to reduce congestion," said Blagojevich. "It also aims to
make our roads safer by specifically targeting improvements at rail
crossings and high accident locations."
The five-year program includes
$3.5 billion in state funds, $3.6 billion in federal funds and $249
million in local funding. The federal portion of the five-year plan
is based on funding estimates that assume the current level of
funding under the federal Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century, which is set to expire this year. Congress is currently
considering the reauthorization of TEA-21, and Illinois hopes to see
increased federal funding as a result of the reauthorization.
"We are working with my former
colleagues in Congress to ensure Illinois receives its fair share of
federal transportation dollars," Blagojevich said. "Currently,
Illinois receives 93 cents in transportation-related funding in
return for every dollar it sends to Washington. That has to change."
On April 30, Blagojevich
traveled to Washington to lobby for increased federal funds for road
projects and has pledged to match every federal grant with state
funding.
The five-year program provides
$5.8 billion for state projects and $1.6 billion for local projects.
The state multiyear program can be summarized in three main
categories:
System preservation --
$2.3 billion is scheduled for resurfacing-widening projects and
bridge improvements, including $514 million for interstate
resurfacing and bridge projects.
System modernization --
$1.9 billion is scheduled to upgrade existing facilities with safety
and traffic flow improvements. Included in this category are the
reconstruction of the Dan Ryan Expressway and Interstate 74 through
Peoria.
Congestion reduction --
$1.6 billion is scheduled to address traffic congestion and build
new main routes, including $392 million for new roads.
Major projects for the fiscal
2004-2008 program include the following:
Downstate Illinois
Interstate 64-55-70 interchange
(Tri-Level) in
East St. Louis: Reconstruction of the interchange at the three
interstate routes is necessary to improve traffic operational
conditions and provide access to the local street system.
Construction and associated work are programmed during fiscal
2004-2008 at a cost of $82.9 million. Of this total,
pre-construction work is programmed in fiscal 2004 at a cost of
$4.1 million.
In conjunction with the
interchange, a 0.9 mile connector road from the Tri-Level to
relocated Illinois 3 is programmed during fiscal 2004-2008 at a cost
of $41 million. Of this total, completion of engineering for
contract plans is programmed in fiscal 2004 at a cost of
$2.3 million.
Interstate 64 from Illinois 157
to Lincoln Trail at O'Fallon in St. Clair County:
Completion of engineering for
contract plans and construction of the additional lanes to continue
the six-lane section 6.4 miles to O'Fallon are programmed in
fiscal 2004 at a cost of $37.4 million.
East St.
Louis, Ill., and St. Louis, Mo.: Engineering for
location, design and environmental studies for a new Mississippi
River bridge connecting East St. Louis and the central business
district in St. Louis has been completed. This engineering was
initiated in fiscal 1992, with Illinois as the lead agency and
Missouri sharing in the costs.
Land acquisition and
engineering for contract plans are under way; continuation of
engineering is programmed in fiscal 2004 at a cost of $12.8 million.
Missouri and Illinois are sharing the engineering costs for contract
plans. The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act included
$2.3 million in federal demonstration funds for this project, and
TEA-21 has provided $1.1 million in High Priority Project funds. The
project, which totals more than $1 billion, is currently not funded
and will require special federal funding over and above regular
program funds.
The location of the new
Mississippi River bridge is being coordinated with the relocation of
Illinois 3 from Venice to Sauget-Cahokia and the Interstate 55-64-70
Tri-Level reconstruction in East St. Louis.
McKinley Bridge:
$37 million has been set aside
in fiscal 2004 to reopen the bridge over the Mississippi River.
US 67 corridor:
The US 67 corridor extends nearly 226 miles from Alton north to
Rock Island. The two- and four-lane corridor improvement costs that
have been awarded total more than $605 million, and $192 million in
projects is programmed during fiscal 2004-2008. The estimated
unfunded cost to complete the four-lane sections in the US 67
corridor from Macomb southward to the Alton Bypass exceeds $1
billion.
--US 67 from west of the
Jacksonville Bypass to east of the Concord-Arenzville Road:
Construction projects and
associated work totaling $15 million are programmed in fiscal 2004
to complete 3.1 miles of this new four-lane highway. TEA-21 provided
$10 million in High Priority Project funds for the project.
--US 67 from south of the
Greene County line to Interstate 72 (Central Illinois Expressway:
Development of a four-lane highway for 14.7 miles in this corridor
is under way. Construction for the 9.2-mile segment from
Interstate 72 to two miles north of Manchester has begun.
Construction and associated work for the remaining 5.5 miles, from
two miles north of Manchester to one mile south of the Greene County
line, are programmed in fiscal 2004 at a cost of $24.1 million to
complete the route.
--US 67 from Godfrey to
Jerseyville in Madison and Jersey counties:
Construction of 11.2 miles of new four-lane pavement is programmed
during fiscal 2004-2008 at a cost of $77.9 million. Of this total,
continuation of engineering for contract plans, bridge construction
and construction engineering is programmed in fiscal 2004 at a cost
of $1.8 million. TEA-21 provided $11.9 million in High Priority
Project funds for the first segment.
--Alton Bypass from Illinois
143 to US 67 in Godfrey:
Construction of the four-lane Alton Bypass from Interstate 270 to US
67 in Godfrey is in progress. The segment from Interstate 270 to
Illinois 143 is open to traffic. Construction on various bridges and
side streets from Illinois 143 to Fosterburg Road is under way.
Additional contracts for the 7.2-mile segment from Illinois 143 to
Fosterburg Road are anticipated to be let this summer for mainline
and side-street construction. Completion of the remaining 6.1 miles
of mainline pavement from Fosterburg Road to US 67 in Godfrey and
2.5 miles of construction on cross streets are programmed during
fiscal 2004-2008 at a cost of $69 million. Of this total,
$6.8 million is programmed in fiscal 2004 for construction on a
cross street, bridges, completion of land acquisition and
miscellaneous work. TEA-21 provided $5 million in High Priority
Project funds for a portion of the land acquisition.
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Interstate 74 from Sterling
Avenue in Peoria to Washington Street in East Peoria:
Interstate 74 through Peoria
was constructed in the late 1950s to early 1960s and does not meet
current interstate standards. The cost for reconstruction and
modernization of 8.3 miles is estimated at $461 million, the largest
downstate interstate modernization project ever undertaken by
Illinois. Engineering and other preliminary work have been completed
or are under way at a cost of nearly $189 million. Projects to
finish the reconstruction and modernization are programmed during
fiscal 2004-2008 at a cost of $272.1 million. Of this total,
preliminary work and reconstruction are programmed in fiscal 2004 at
a cost of $42 million, including $22.4 million for 1.5 miles of
reconstruction, interchange reconstruction, bridge work and
construction engineering from west of Sterling Avenue to Gale Avenue
in Peoria.
US 20 from Galena to Freeport:
Preliminary engineering is under way to prepare a location and
design report and an environmental impact statement for improving
the existing 50 miles to four lanes. A draft Environmental Impact
Statement has been prepared, and public hearings are anticipated
later in 2003. Design approval will follow the public hearings. The
ISTEA in 1991 provided $2 million in federal demonstration funds for
this study. In addition, the fiscal 1992 federal appropriation bill
provided $2.1 million in other demonstration funds.
--US 20 from Illinois 84 (NW)
to southeast of Galena (Galena Bypass):
Engineering for location studies is under way within the
Galena-to-Freeport corridor. Engineering for contract plans and land
acquisition for the 6.5-mile bypass are programmed during
fiscal 2004-2008 at a cost of $6.5 million. Of this total,
engineering for contract plans is programmed in fiscal 2004 at a
cost of $5 million. Additional engineering and construction are not
currently funded.
--S 20, Freeport Bypass:
Land acquisition, an interchange at Illinois 75 and additional lanes
for 6.1 miles from east of Illinois 26 to west of Springfield Road
east of Freeport are programmed during fiscal 2004-2008 at a cost of
$24.2 million. Of this total, grading for the additional lanes, new
bridge, interchange reconstruction, utility work and land
acquisition are programmed in fiscal 2004 at a cost of
$15.6 million.
US 51 -- Decatur to Pana:
Since 1990, the department has invested $43.9 million on upgrading
US 51 to four lanes south of Decatur, including the completed
construction for 9.2 miles from north of Elwin to north of the
Macon-Shelby County line. Construction is under way for another
5.5 miles at a cost of $16.2 million, from north of the Macon-Shelby
County line to 0.9 mile south of Moweaqua. Engineering for contract
plans is also under way for US 51 from 0.9 mile south of Moweaqua to
2.9 miles north of Illinois 16 at a cost of $1.2 million. Also,
$1.5 million is included in the fiscal 2003 Proposed Improvements
for Illinois Highways for land acquisition of properties from
willing sellers deemed to be hardship cases for the section from
south of Moweaqua to the Shelby County line south of Pana. Land
acquisition, archaeological surveys and utility adjustments are
programmed during fiscal 2004-2008 at a cost of $930,000. The
remaining work to complete the 12.1-mile section from 0.9 mile south
of Moweaqua to 2.9 miles north of Illinois 16 north of Pana is
currently unfunded.
Illinois 5 (Blackhawk Road)
from 24th Street to 38th Street in Rock Island:
Construction of additional
lanes for one mile and utility work are programmed during fiscal
2005-2008 at a cost of $5.1 million.
Illinois 40 from Cedar Hills
Drive to Illinois 6 in Peoria:
Construction of additional lanes, intersection improvement and
resurfacing for 2.6 miles are programmed during fiscal 2005-2008 at
a cost of $20.5 million.
US 136-Illinois 336,
Quincy-to-Macomb corridor:
A new four-lane highway from US 24 near Quincy to north of West
Point Road is open to traffic. Construction contracts are under way
to continue the four lanes northerly from north of West Point Road
to three miles south of Carthage and for a 1.2-mile segment from
Deere Road to County Highway 18 west of Macomb. The 60 miles of
four-lane highway from Quincy to Macomb are fully funded.
Construction on the remaining 26.3 miles from three miles south of
Carthage to County Highway 18 west of Macomb is programmed during
fiscal 2004-2008 at a cost of $140.6 million. Of this total,
engineering for contract plans, land acquisition, utility
adjustments and construction to provide five lanes from US 136 east
of Township Road 266 to County Highway 18 are programmed in
fiscal 2004 at a cost of $13.3 million. The ISTEA in 1991 provided
$4.9 million in federal demonstration funds, and TEA-21 provided
$3.9 million in High Priority Project funds for this project.
Illinois 29 from Rochester to
Taylorville:
Development of a four-lane highway for 18.8 miles in this corridor
is under way. A construction contract for a 5.1-mile segment from
Rochester to south of Berry was recently awarded.
Engineering for contract plans
from 0.8 miles south of Berry to 1.2 miles south of Edinburg is
programmed in fiscal 2004 at a cost of $1.5 million. Construction
for this segment is not funded.
New four-lane construction,
bridge replacement and associated work for 6.7 miles from south of
Edinburg to south of Illinois 104 in Taylorville are programmed
during fiscal 2004-2008 at a cost of $25.2 million. Of this total,
land acquisition is programmed in fiscal 2004 at a cost of $200,000.
Northeastern Illinois
Interstate 55 at Arsenal Road:
Interchange reconstruction, bridge replacement, land acquisition,
lighting and engineering are programmed during fiscal 2005-2008 at a
cost of $27.7 million. This work is being done in conjunction with
the development of the Joliet Arsenal facility, which, when
completed, will be the largest intermodal facility in the nation.
Interstate 80 from Interstate
94 (Bishop Ford Expressway) to Indiana state line:
Construction of additional
lanes for three miles, reconstruction, bridge replacement,
interchange reconstruction and engineering are programmed during
fiscal 2004-2008 at a cost of $367.1 million. Of this total, $110.5
million is included in fiscal 2004 for engineering for contract
plans, land acquisition, bridge replacement or fabrication at six
locations, pavement widening, shoulder reconstruction, lighting,
grading and paving at Illinois 394, and construction engineering.
Interstate 94-90 (Dan Ryan
Expressway) from 31st Street to south of the Interstate 57
interchange:
Reconstruction of 8.5 miles of the existing local and express lanes
and engineering are programmed during fiscal 2004-2008 at a cost of
$505.2 million. Of this total, $165.2 million is programmed in
fiscal 2004 for engineering for contract plans, reconstruction,
bridge replacement at three locations, auxiliary lanes, additional
ramps, retaining walls and lighting.
US 6 (159th Street) from
Interstate 294 in Markham to Illinois 1 (Halsted Street):
Reconstruction for 2.3
miles, bridge replacement, new bridge, intersection improvement,
land acquisition, construction engineering, demolition, utility
adjustment and lighting are programmed during fiscal 2004-2008 at a
cost of $53.5 million. Of this total, $450,000 is included in the
fiscal 2004 program for land acquisition and demolition. TEA-21
provided $1.3 million in High Priority Project funds for this
project.
Illinois 59-US 30 (Division
Street-Brook Forest Avenue) from Illinois 126 (Lockport Road) to
US 52 (Jefferson Street):
Additional lanes for 6.3 miles, land acquisition, utility adjustment
and engineering for right of way and contract plans are programmed
during fiscal 2004-2008 at a cost of $60.2 million. Of this total,
$4.1 million is included in fiscal 2004 for land acquisition and
engineering for right of way and contract plans.
Algonquin Bypass from the north
junction of Illinois 31 to the south junction of Illinois 31:
IDOT participation for engineering for contract plans and new
construction are programmed during FY 2004-2008 at a cost of $36
million. Of this total, $2 million is included in fiscal 2004 for
land acquisition.
[Illinois
Government News Network
press release] |
