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"We are making key investments in transportation to keep our economy
moving forward, like reconstructing the Ryan and Kingery on
Chicago's south side, upgrading 74 in Peoria and laying the
groundwork for more river crossings in the Metro East," Gov.
Blagojevich said. "We're moving ahead in northwest Illinois on U.S.
20, U.S. 51 from Decatur to Pana, and U.S. 67 and 136 in western
Illinois." The multiyear program is based upon conservative
estimates of federal, state and local funding, including $5.387
billion in federal funds, $3.361 billion in state funds and $402
million in local funds. It has been trimmed back from seven years,
but due to the uncertainty of a federal highway bill, the program
remains longer than the traditional five-year plan.
The federal portion of the program is conservatively based upon
current federal formula funding levels. The Transportation Equity
Act of the 21st Century, known as TEA-21, expired in the fall of
2003 and continues to be extended into 2005, something that hurts
Illinois because Illinois is a donor state under the act, receiving
less money back from the federal government than it sends to
Washington.
"We are working to improve our return from the federal
government, but unfortunately it's been more than a year and a half
since the federal program expired," Martin said. "Once we get a new
federal bill that treats Illinois more equitably, we will be able to
more accurately plan for future highway improvements. But as it
stands, it will be at least fiscal year 2007 before we see any real
impact."
The multiyear program for 2006-2011
includes $6.653 billion for making improvements to the state highway
system and $2.497 billion for improvements to the local system.
Other highlights include:
- Improvements to 4,518 miles of highways.
- Improvements to 925 bridges.
- Providing $100 million in a new two-year Illinois High
Priority Bridge Repair program to address state structures that
are in need of expedited repairs.
- Providing $456 million for local benefits programs to help
cities, counties and townships improve roads and support
economic development.
The fiscal 2006-2011 program is
estimated to be $9.15 billion, and due to the uncertainty of federal
funding, focuses more on maintaining the existing system. In past
programs, projects for congestion mitigation and new system
expansion were more of a priority; however, this year, very few new
congestion mitigation or system expansions were included. Because of
the lack of a new federal bill under last year's program, the
state's roads and bridges were deteriorating rapidly, and so this
year the department refocused resources in order to better maintain
more of the system in good condition. The department's main
priorities are as follows:
- System maintenance: $3.273 billion scheduled for
resurfacing, widening and safety projects on state-maintained
highways.
- Bridge maintenance: $1.312 billion scheduled to address
bridge needs.
- Congestion mitigation: $1.564 billion scheduled to address
traffic congestion. No new major projects in this category have
been added.
- System expansion: $503 million scheduled to build new roads
to increase access for economic development. Few new projects
have been added in this category.
Major project highlights
The following major projects are tentatively scheduled during
fiscal 2006-2011:
Northeastern Illinois
- Interstate 55 at Arsenal Road in Will County.
Interchange reconstruction, bridge replacement, land
acquisition, lighting and engineering are programmed during
fiscal 2007-2011 at a cost of $33.3 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
the Indiana state line
. Construction of additional lanes for
three miles, reconstruction, bridge replacement, interchange
reconstruction and engineering are programmed during
fiscal 2006-2011 at a cost of $168.9 million. Of this total,
$157.7 million is included in fiscal 2006 for engineering for
contract plans, land acquisition, construction engineering,
bridge replacement, retaining walls, interchange reconstruction,
additional lanes and reconstruction. Included in the fiscal 2006
funding is $11.5 million of High Priority Bridge Repair program
funding.
- 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, bridge
repairs, additional ramps, and engineering are programmed during
fiscal 2006-2011 at a cost of $471.2 million. Of this total,
$213.7 million is programmed in fiscal 2006 for engineering,
bridge replacement and repairs, retaining walls, and
reconstruction. Included in the total funding is $45.5 million
in High Priority Bridge Repair program funds. Of this total,
$24.8 million is programmed in fiscal 2006.
- U.S. 6 (159th Street) from Interstate 294 to Illinois 1 (Halsted
Street).
Reconstruction for 2.3 miles, bridge replacement,
intersection improvement, land acquisition, engineering for
contract plans, construction engineering, utility adjustment and
lighting are programmed during fiscal 2006-2011 at an estimated
cost of $54.3 million. Of this total, $265,000 is included in
fiscal 2006 for land acquisition and engineering for contract
plans. TEA-21 provided $1.3 million in High Priority Project
funds for this project.
- Illinois 22 (Lake Zurich Road) from east of Beusching Road
to Quentin Road
. Additional lanes for 1.3 miles and land
acquisition are programmed during fiscal 2006 at an estimated
cost of $12.8 million.
- Illinois 22 (Lake Zurich Road) from Quentin Road to west of
Illinois 83 (Mundelein Road)
. Additional lanes for 3.5
miles, land acquisition, engineering for right of way, design,
location and environmental studies and contract plans are
programmed during fiscal 2006-2011 at an estimated cost of
$36.3 million. Of this total, $150,000 is included in fiscal
2006 for engineering for design, location and environmental
studies.
- Illinois 22 (Half Day Road) from east of Illinois 83
(Mundelein Road) to west of U.S. 45/Illinois 21 (Milwaukee
Avenue)
. Additional lanes for three miles, bridge
replacement, railroad crossing improvement, intersection
reconstruction, traffic signal modernization, land acquisition,
and construction engineering are programmed during fiscal
2006-2011 at an estimated cost of $27.3 million. Of this total,
$22 million is included in fiscal 2006 for additional lanes,
railroad crossing improvement, bridge replacement, traffic
signal modernization, land acquisition and construction
engineering
- Illinois 22 (Half Day Road) from east of Interstate 94
(Tri-State Tollway) to west of U.S. 41 (Skokie Highway)
.
Additional lanes for 2.9 miles, land acquisition and
construction engineering are programmed during fiscal 2006-2011
at an estimated cost of $19.3 million.
- Illinois 59/U.S. 30 (Division Street/Brook Forest Avenue)
from Illinois 126 (Lockport Road) to U.S. 52 (Jefferson Street)
.
Additional lanes for 6.3 miles, bridge replacement, retaining
wall, and landscaping are programmed during fiscal 2006-2011 at
an estimated cost of $62.4 million.
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 Downstate Illinois
- Interstate 55/70 Poplar Street Complex in East St. Louis.
Bridge repair and bridge deck overlay on the Tudor and Piggot
ramps are programmed during fiscal 2007-2011 at a cost of
$16.8 million. In addition, a new deck is programmed during
fiscal 2007-2011 at a cost of $4 million for the Poplar Street
bridge.
- Interstate 55/64/70 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 2006-2011 at a cost of $17.9 million. Of this total,
$95,000 is programmed for demolition in fiscal 2006. An
additional $93.8 million of work is contingent on special
federal funds.
- 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. Reconstruction and modernization
of 8.3 miles is estimated to cost $481.9 million, the largest
downstate interstate modernization project ever undertaken by
Illinois. Approximately $390.7 million of work has been
completed or is under way. An additional $8.5 million of work
remains in the fiscal 2005 program. Projects to finish the
reconstruction and modernization are programmed during
fiscal 2006-2011 at a cost of $82.7 million. Of this total,
reconstruction of 3.2 miles bridge rehabilitation and
construction engineering are programmed in fiscal 2006 at a cost
of $81.4 million.
- U.S. 20 from Galena to Freeport.
The final environmental
impact statement is being reviewed. Design approval is
anticipated summer 2005 and will follow the record of decision.
The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 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.
- U.S. 20 from Illinois 84 (NW) to southeast of Galena (Galena
Bypass).
Engineering for contract plans began in the summer
2004 and is currently under way. Continuation of engineering for
contract plans and land acquisition for the 6.5-mile bypass
corridor are programmed in fiscal 2006 at a cost of
$1.9 million. Additional engineering and construction are not
currently funded.
- U.S. 20 -- Freeport Bypass.
Additional lanes for 6.1
miles and interchange reconstruction are programmed in fiscal
2006 at a cost of $13 million.
- U.S. 51 -- Decatur to Pana.
Since 1990, the department
has invested $43.9 million on upgrading U.S. 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. Land acquisition and new construction for 3.5 miles
from 0.9 mile south of the Shelby County line south of Moweaqua
to 0.1 mile north of Township Road 306 are programmed in fiscal
2006 at a cost of $17.7 million. The remaining work to complete
the 8.6-mile section from 0.1 mile north of Township Road 306 to
2.9 miles north of Illinois 16 north of Pana is not currently
funded.
- U.S. 67 corridor.
The U.S. 67 corridor extends nearly
229 miles from Rock Island south to Alton. The two- and
four-lane corridor improvement costs awarded total more than
$708 million, and $104 million in projects are programmed during
fiscal 2006-2011. The estimated unfunded cost to complete the
four-lane sections in the U.S. 67 corridor from Macomb southward
to the Alton Bypass exceeds $1.3 billion.
- U.S. 67 from U.S. 136 to Illinois 101.
Archaeological
survey and engineering for contract plans for the U.S. 67
interchange at U.S. 136/Illinois 336 and 7.4 miles of a new
four-lane highway from north of Industry to Illinois 101 are
programmed during fiscal 2007-2011 at a cost of $3.1 million. Of
this total, archaeological survey is programmed in fiscal 2006
at a cost of $100,000. Construction is not currently funded.
- U.S. 67 from Godfrey to Jerseyville in Madison and Jersey
counties.
Construction of new bridges and utility
adjustments are programmed during fiscal 2006-2011 at a cost of
$25.2 million. Of this total, land acquisition is programmed in
fiscal 2006 at a cost of $1.5 million. TEA-21 provided $12.2
million in High Priority Project funds for this project.
- Alton Bypass from Interstate 270 to U.S. 67 in Godfrey.
Construction of the four-lane Alton Bypass from Interstate 270
to U.S. 67 in Godfrey is in progress. The 6.5-mile segment from
Interstate 270 to Illinois 143 is open to traffic. Construction
on the 7.2-mile segment from Illinois 143 to Fosterburg Road is
under way. Completion of contract plans and construction of the
remaining 6.1 miles of mainline pavement and 1.7 miles of
construction on cross streets from Fosterburg Road to U.S. 67 in
Godfrey are programmed during fiscal 2006-2011 at a cost of
$75.7 million. Of this total, land acquisition, utility
adjustments and engineering for contract plans are programmed in
fiscal 2006 at a cost of $7.7 million.
U.S. 136/Illinois 336 -- Quincy-to-Macomb corridor. A
new four-lane highway for 21.3 miles from U.S. 24 near Quincy to
three miles south of Carthage and 1.2 miles from County Highway
18 to Deere Road west of Macomb are open to traffic. The
construction to provide five miles of four lanes and an
interchange from three miles south of Carthage to two miles east
of Carthage and the construction to provide 1.1 miles of
five lanes from U.S. 136 east of Township Road 266 to County
Highway 18 are under way. The work to finish the remaining 20.3
miles of four-lane highway from two miles east of Carthage to
U.S. 136 east of Township Road 266 is fully funded. Continuation
of engineering, archaeological survey, land acquisition, utility
adjustments and construction from two miles east of Carthage to
U.S. 136 east of Township Road 226 west of Macomb are programmed
during fiscal 2006-2011 at a cost of $115.6 million. Of this
total, continuation of engineering, archaeological survey, land
acquisition, utility adjustments and grading is programmed in
fiscal 2006 at a cost of $15.1 million.
Illinois 5 (Blackhawk Road) from 24th Street to 38th Street
in Rock Island. Construction of additional lanes for one
mile, land acquisition and utility work are programmed in fiscal
2006 at a cost of $7.7 million.
Illinois 40 from Cedar Hills Drive to Illinois 6 in Peoria.
Construction of additional lanes, intersection improvement,
resurfacing for 2.6 miles and associated work are programmed
during fiscal 2007-2011 at a cost of $18.7 million. Of this
total, utility adjustment and land acquisition are programmed in
fiscal 2006 at a cost of $1.1 million.
Note: The entire fiscal 2006-2011 road program is available
online at the Illinois Department of Transportation website,
www.dot.state.il.us.
[News release from the governor's
office] |
