FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

IDOT, COMMUNITY TASKFORCE TO REVIEW CURRENT, ALTERNATE PLANS FOR DAN RYAN RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT
Decision Expected in Early 2004

        CHICAGO (December 29, 2003) - Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Secretary Tim Martin announced today the first meeting of the recently created Dan Ryan Taskforce, which will convene in early January 2004. 

        Secretary Martin announced the formation of the taskforce in November as a way to further engage the community in the planning of the Dan Ryan reconstruction project.  More than 40 prominent community members will sit on the taskforce, representing over 20 communities surrounding the Dan Ryan Expressway.              

        The taskforce will review alternate plans submitted by community members and IDOT engineers to help determine which plan will best promote public safety, relieve congestion and benefit the community.  IDOT extended its original May deadline for community input to December 15. Those submissions will be among the plans considered by the taskforce.  

        "We want to hear from each neighborhood along the Dan Ryan Expressway,” said Martin.  “I'm confident that with this new alliance, IDOT and the community taskforce will work together to come up with a plan that represents the best interests of the community and commuters along the Dan Ryan."

        With nearly 8,200 accidents and 27 deaths over a three-year period, the 40-year old expressway has surpassed its original design life by more than 20 years and has become increasingly dangerous. To address safety issues, IDOT will modify the expressway to improve traffic flow, decrease congestion and increase public safety.

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