According to a press releases from Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, the Illinois Tollway will receive a $1.4 billion makeover in 2014– making it the largest one-year infrastructure investment in the agency’s history.
The money will be spent to rebuild 160 lane-miles, repair 70 bridges and/or improve 20 interchanges. In addition, 15,000 jobs will be supported by the infrastructure improvement.
The announcement was part of the state’s $12 billion program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future. In 2014, $1.1 billion will be spent in the Move Illinois program to complete the first pause of the new interchange connecting the Tri-State Tollway, rebuild and widen the Jane Adams Memorial Tollway, creating an all-electronic Elgin O’Hare Western access and tuning for the study for the Illinois Route 53/120 project.
“This record transportation investment across the Illinois Tollway will reduce congestion and improve the quality of life for people throughout the region while supporting our businesses,” Governor Quinn said. “This unparalleled investment in our roads will create jobs for thousands of hard-working men and women today and build a foundation for even more businesses and jobs for generations to come.”
“2014 will be our biggest year ever. We know that drivers may experience work zones along many parts of our system this year and ask our customers for their continued patience,” Illinois Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur said. “By the end of the year, our customers will have direct access from the Tri-State to I-57 and smooth, new pavement and another lane on the Jane Addams from Elgin to Rockford. They will also begin to see major work happening on the Elgin O’Hare Western Access Project, the largest roadway construction project in the state.”
From Governor Qunn’s office: The 2014 capital program includes:
$729.2 million for the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) corridor.
• Completing the rebuilding and widening of the 37-mile western segment of I-90 between Elgin and I-39 in Rockford.
• Beginning advance work including noisewall and retaining wall construction on the eastern segment of I-90 between Elgin and the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) to prepare for roadway rebuilding and widening.
• Rebuilding westbound I-90 between I-294 and the Kennedy Expressway.
• Improving or building interchanges at Business U.S. Route 20/State Street in Rockford, Irene Road and Genoa Road near Belvidere, Illinois Route 25 in Elgin, Barrington Road in Hoffman Estates, Roselle Road and Meacham Road in Schaumburg and Lee Street in Rosemont.
• Rebuilding 11 local crossroad bridges along I-90 to accommodate the widening of the roadway, including Pearl Street, Town Hall Road, Johnson Road, Shattuck Road, County Line Road, Harmony-Riley Road, Harmony Road, Hennig Road, Tyrrell Road, Bartlett Road and Higgins Road.
$282.8 million to construct the Elgin O’Hare Western Access Project.
• Building new interchanges at Rohlwing Road and I-290 on Illinois Route 390 (Elgin O’Hare Expressway) and at Elmhurst Road on I-90.
• Continuing new noisewall and advance work between Roselle Road and Meacham Road/Medinah Road along Illinois Route 390.
• Rehabilitating and widening of Illinois Route 390 from Illinois Route 19 to Meacham Road/Medinah Road, as well as reconstruction and widening work from Meacham Road/Medinah Road to Illinois Route 53.
$85.7 million to complete the first phase of the new Tri-State Tollway (I-294)/I-57 Interchange in partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation.
• Building new ramps to carry traffic from southbound I-294 to southbound I-57 and from northbound I-57 to northbound I-294.
• Building new ramps at 147th Street and I-294.
In addition, the Illinois Tollway is committed to additional investments that will keep the existing Tollway system in a state of good repair for years to come. Work in 2014 includes an additional $282.8 million for a variety of construction, design, inspection and other capital investments systemwide. Projects include:
• Repairing pavement and bridges on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88).
• Repairing Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294) ramps at 75th Street, Ogden Avenue, Roosevelt Road, I-290, Irving Park Road, Grand Avenue and at Illinois Route 120.
• Repairing ramps and bridges on the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355).
• Restoring parking lots at seven oases throughout the Illinois Tollway system.