 Those expecting renovation and construction of roads, bridges,
hospitals and schools in their area may have to wait a couple more
months until work begins.
Last year, Quinn and lawmakers passed a six-year construction plan
that would potentially bring in $31 billion in contracted work and
more than 439,000 jobs.
According to state records, Illinois had set aside more than $3.3
billion in money for public works projects this year. From that $3.3
billion, almost $464 million already has been spent on projects,
while another $585 million is reserved under contract.
That leaves $2.3 billion still on the table for dozens of projects
around the state.
Quinn said state agencies and public bodies have to go through
detailed procedures before releasing the money and starting work.
"You've got to have bidding and you've got to have competitive
bidding and you've got to do all the policies right," he said. "The
bottom line is we have more construction going right now in Illinois
than any other time in our state history."
The Capital Development Board serves as the state agency responsible
for regulating the design, construction and renovation of the
state's schools, universities, hospitals, prisons and office
buildings.
Dave Blanchette, spokesman for the Capital Development Board, said
all of the projects under the board's oversight are on schedule to
begin construction before fall.
"All of the projects that were to be funded under Year 1 of the
plan are being funded, and if they're not under way already, they will
be under way in some form by Sept. 1," he said.
Some institutions have already secured contracts and started
construction.
Southern Illinois University in Carbondale has contracted out $43.7
million of the $56.7 million set aside for a new transportation and
education center.
Likewise, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has meted
out $40.7 million to contractors out of the $57.3 million reserved
for renovations to campus landmark Lincoln Hall.
But out of the almost 200 first-year projects that have funding
reserved for this year, 46 projects are still in the introductory
phases without a contracted architect or engineer.
Those projects without contracts as of yet include the $7.2 million
in safety renovations for Choate Mental Health Center in southern
Illinois and $4 million in construction work for a new Quad-Cities
campus for Western Illinois University.
Blanchette said competitive bidding for a project's contract can
only begin once the money for the project is secured.
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"As bonds are sold, then more funds can be released, the more
projects can be bid. You don't bid all the projects at once, you bid
them throughout the year as bonds are sold. So everything is
absolutely on schedule," he said.
But the campaign for Quinn's GOP gubernatorial opponent Bill Brady
believes projects should have been off and running already.
Patti Schuh, a spokesman for Brady, said the public works plan
supported by both parties has been grounded by the Quinn
administration.
"It's a continuing disappointment that points again to a failure in
leadership," she said.
Quinn said he's doing his part to push the $31 billion public works
plan.
"I'm investing public money. People want to invest in good roads and
bridges in a proper way and we're getting the job done, so the
notion that there's not a lot of construction going on in Illinois
is not true," he said.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By KEVIN LEE]
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