Blagojevich announces $8.3 billion multi-year road
program
Opportunity Returns boosts highway improvements to $1.75
billion for FY05
Federal funding uncertainty
leads IDOT to change from five to seven-year plan
SPRINGFIELD - Governor Rod R.
Blagojevich today announced the state's highway
improvement program, for Fiscal Years 2005 to 2011. The
$8.3 billion comprehensive Multi-Year Program (MYP)
focuses on preserving and modernizing existing roads, as
well as reducing congestion. Governor Blagojevich's
aggressive plan to create jobs in Illinois ,
Opportunity Returns, will mean at least an
additional $1 billion in highway improvements during the
Multi-Year Program.
“We have been conservative with our
estimates in putting together this Multi-Year Program. I
wanted a realistic look at what we can expect, even with
the uncertainty we face with our federal funding,”
Governor Blagojevich said. “We can't wait on Washington
to act, we must spur our own economic recovery, and that
is what we are doing with Opportunity Returns .
We are putting men and women to work now, making
improvements to our transportation system, and because
Opportunity Returns projects are targeted toward
economic development, we are creating jobs in the
future.”
The FY05 - FY11 MYP is estimated to be
$8.3 billion and will allow the Illinois Department of
Transportation (IDOT) to improve more than 2,180 miles
of roads and replace or rehabilitate more than 620
bridges. The MYP will also support almost 200,000 jobs
during the life of the program.
Separate from the $8.3 billion FY 05-FY
11 MYP is Opportunity Returns , Governor
Blagojevich's innovative economic recovery plan that
calls for more than $1 billion in road improvements over
the next three years. To create new, much-needed jobs,
Governor Blagojevich is accelerating $200 million from
Opportunity Returns to be used this Summer for
system preservation and maintenance projects. IDOT
estimates the $200 million accelerated investment will
generate 4,800 jobs in FY05, providing a boost to local
economies.
“We are going to make needed
improvements this summer to our highway system that will
provide jobs to the hard working men and women of
Illinois ,” said the Governor. “Highway projects are a
major component of Opportunity Returns , when
businesses look to expand or relocate one of their major
concerns is transportation, that's why it's essential we
continue to invest in our highway system now, to improve
Illinois ' economy down the road.”
The $8.3 billion MYP includes $3.2
billion in state funds, $4.8 billion in federal funds
and $322 million in local funding. The federal portion
of the MYP is based on funding estimates that assume the
current level of federal funding. The previous federal
transportation funding authorization expired last fall,
and as yet no new transportation funding package has
been formalized, this uncertainty led IDOT to change
from a five-year MYP to a seven-year MYP. This will
allow more flexibility in dealing with the unknown
future levels of return. As the President and Congress
work to pass a new federal funding authorization,
Governor Blagojevich is hopeful Illinois will improve on
its federal funding return.
“We are a donor state, only getting 92
cents back for every dollar we send to Washington for
transportation. That is simply unacceptable,” Governor
Blagojevich said. “I want to commend the House of
Representatives, Speaker Hastert, Congressman Lipinski
and all of our state's congressional delegation for
moving a bill forward. My hope is that we can finally
get a bill to the President to sign and end the
uncertainty of our future funding from the federal
government.”
“We have built this program based on no
revenue increases from the federal government, if
Congress passes a highway bill this year that increases
Illinois' share, we won't see the effects of that until
at least the FY 06- FY 12 MYP,” IDOT Secretary Tim
Martin said. “We are also holding off determining the
future funding of several major projects until we have a
new federal bill in place, such as the New Mississippi
River Bridge, Wacker Drive, Prairie Access, the widening
and reconstruction of I-55 from Weber to I-80 and the
CREATE program. These are projects that are of national
importance, with price tags to match, and we need to see
the final program that Congress comes up with before we
can move forward on these.”
The MYP provides $5.9 billion for state
projects and $2.4 billion for local projects. The state
multi-year program can be summarized in three main
categories:
- System Preservation--$2.5 billion is scheduled for
resurfacing/widening projects and bridge
improvements, including $557 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--$1.5 billion is scheduled to
address traffic congestion and build new main
routes, including $382 million for new roads.
Major Project Highlights
The following major projects are
tentatively scheduled during FY 2005- FY 2011.
Northeastern Illinois
- Interstate 55 at Arsenal
Road . Interchange
reconstruction, bridge replacement, land
acquisition, lighting and engineering are programmed
during FY 2005-2011 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 inter-modal
facility in the nation.
- Interstate 80
from Interstate 94 (Bishop Ford Expressway) to
Indiana State
line. Construction of additional lanes for
3 miles, reconstruction, bridge replacement,
interchange reconstruction and engineering are
programmed during FY 2005-2011 at a cost of $253.8
million. Of this total, $136.2 million is included
in FY 2005 for engineering for contract plans, land
acquisition, construction engineering, bridge
replacement, retaining walls, interchange
reconstruction, additional lanes and reconstruction.
- Interstate 94/90 (Dan Ryan Expressway)
from 31 st 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 FY 2005-2011 at a cost of $442.6 million. Of
this total, $150.2 million is programmed in FY 2005
for bridge replacement at two locations, bridge
superstructure, retaining walls, ramp repair,
intersection reconstruction, additional ramps,
reconstruction and lighting.
- US 6 ( 159 th Street
) from Interstate 294 to Illinois
1 ( Halsted Street
). Reconstruction for 2.3 miles, bridge
replacement, intersection improvement, land
acquisition, construction engineering, utility
adjustment, and lighting are programmed during
FY 2006-2011 at a cost of $53.5 million. TEA-21
provided $1.3 million in High Priority Project funds
for this project.
- Illinois 22 (
Lake Zurich Road ) from west of US
12 ( Rand Road )
to Quentin Road .
Additional lanes for 1.3 miles, new construction for
1.6 miles, railroad grade separation, railroad
crossing construction, retaining wall and
installation of signals are programmed during
FY 2006-2011 at a cost of $33.9 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 and contract plans are
programmed during FY 2006-2011 at a cost of $33.8
million.
- lllinois 22 (Half Day Road) from east of
Illinois 83 (
Mundelein Road ) to west of US
45/Illinois 21 ( Milwaukee Avenue
). Additional lanes for 3 miles, bridge
replacement, railroad crossing improvement,
intersection reconstruction, and modernization of
traffic signals is programmed during FY 2006-2011 at
a cost of $25 million.
- Illinois 22 (Half Day
Road) from east of Interstate 94 (Tri-State Tollway)
to west of US 41 ( Skokie Highway
). Additional lanes for 2.9 miles are
programmed during FY 2006-2011 at a cost of $16.5
million.
- 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 are
programmed during FY 2006-2011 at a cost of $56
million.
- 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 2005-2011 at a cost of $38 million. Of
this total, $3 million is included in FY 2005 for
land acquisition, and engineering for contract
plans.
Downstate
Illinois
- Interstate 55/70 Poplar
Street Complex in
East St. Louis . Bridge
repair, bridge deck overlay and seismic retrofit of
the Tudor/Piggot Ramps are programmed during FY
2006-2011 at a cost of $26.3 million. In addition,
bridge painting and new deck are programmed during
FY 2005-2011 at a cost of $7.3 million for the
Poplar Street Bridge . Of this total, $3.3 million
is programmed in FY 2005 for bridge painting.
- 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 FY 2005-2011 at a cost of
$109.5 million, including $9.4 million of
improvements on the Interstate 64 Connector. Of this
total, engineering for contract plans is programmed
in FY 2005 at a cost of $115,000.
- 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 are estimated to cost $477 million, the
largest downstate interstate modernization project
ever undertaken by Illinois . Approximately
$196 million of work has been completed or is under
way. An additional $43 million of work remains in
the FY 2004 program. Projects to finish the
reconstruction and modernization are programmed
during FY 2005-2011 at a cost of $237.7 million. Of
this total, preliminary work and reconstruction are
programmed in FY 2005 at a cost of $158.5 million,
including 3.6 miles of reconstruction, bridge
replacements, interchange reconstruction, retaining
wall and construction engineering from Gale Avenue
to the Illinois River in Peoria for $115.4 million.
Also in FY 2005, there are 1.3 miles of
reconstruction, bridge replacement, interchange
reconstruction, retaining wall and construction
engineering eastbound from the TP&W Railroad to east
of Washington Street in East Peoria for
$29.8 million.
- US 20 from
Galena to
Freeport . The final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is being
reviewed. Design approval will follow publication of
the EIS. ISTEA in 1991 provided $2 million in
federal demonstration funds for this study. In
addition, the FY 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 contract plans is
anticipated to begin summer 2004. Land acquisition
for the 6.5 mile bypass corridor is programmed
during FY 2005-2011 at a cost of $2 million. Of this
total, land acquisition is programmed in FY 2005 at
a cost of $1 million. Additional engineering and
construction are not currently funded.
- US 20 - Freeport Bypass.
Additional lanes for 6.1 miles and interchange
reconstruction are programmed during FY 2006-2011 at
a cost of $12 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. Land acquisition, archaeological
surveys and utility adjustments from 0.9 mile south
of the Shelby County line south of Moweaqua to 0.1
mile north of Township Road 306 are programmed
during FY 2006-2011 at a cost of $930,000. E
ngineering for contract plans from 2.9 miles north
of Illinois 16 to the Shelby County line south of
Pana is programmed in FY 2005 at a cost of $1.8
million. 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 not
currently funded.
- US 67 Corridor. The US 67
corridor extends nearly 229 miles from Alton north
to Rock Island . The two and four lane corridor
improvement costs awarded total more than
$705 million and $150 million in projects are
programmed during FY 2005-2011. The estimated
unfunded cost to complete the four-lane sections in
the US 67 corridor from Macomb southward to the
Alton Bypass exceeds $1.3 billion .
- US 67 from US 136 to
Illinois 101. Engineering
for contract plans for the US 67 interchange at US
136 / Illinois 336 and 7.4 miles of a new four-lane
highway from north of Industry to Illinois 101 is
programmed during FY 2006-2011 at a cost of
$3.5 million. Construction is not currently funded.
- US 67 from Godfrey to
Jerseyville in Madison
and Jersey
Counties . Utility
adjustments and construction of 11.3 miles of new
four-lane pavement are programmed during
FY 2006-2011 at a cost of $84.3 million. TEA-21
provided $12.2 million in High Priority Project
funds for this project.
- 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 the 7.2-mile
segment from Illinois 143 to Fosterburg Road is
under way. Lighting for the segment from Illinois
143 to Fosterburg Road , 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 US 67 in
Godfrey are programmed during FY 2005-2011 at a cost
of $61.8 million. Of this total, $100,000 is
programmed in FY 2005 for completion of contract
plans.
- US 136/Illinois 336 -
Quincy to Macomb
Corridor. New four-lane highway for 21.3
miles from US 24 near Quincy to 3 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 lanes from US 136 east
of Township Road 266 to County Highway 18 is
programmed in FY 2004 and is anticipated to be on a
summer 2004 letting. The remaining work to finish
the four-lane highway from 3 miles south of Carthage
to US 136 east of Township Road 266 is fully funded.
Land Acquisition, utility adjustments and
construction on the remaining 25.2 miles from 3
miles south of Carthage to US 136 east of Township
Road 266 west of Macomb are programmed during
FY 2005-2011 at a cost of $129.9 million. Of this
total, land acquisition for 1.7 miles east of
Illinois 61 to US 136 east of Township Road 266 and
construction of 5.0 miles of four-lane highway from
3 miles south to 2 miles east of Carthage are
programmed in FY 2005 at a cost of $20.5 million.
- Illinois 5 (
Blackhawk Road ) from
24 th Street to
38 th Street in
Rock Island . Construction
of additional lanes for 1 mile and utility work are
programmed during FY 2006-2011 at a cost of
$5.6 million.
- Illinois 29 from
Rochester to Taylorville.
Development of a four-lane highway for 18.8 miles in
this corridor is under way. 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 in
FY 2005 at a cost of $23.5 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
FY 2005-2011 at a cost of $21 million. Of this
total, land acquisition is programmed in FY 2005 at
a cost of $2.1 million.
- McKinley
Bridge over the
Mississippi River at
Venice . Rehabilitation of
the bridge and demolition of the Venice Highline
railroad trestle is programmed in FY 2005-2011 at a
cost of $42.0 million. Of this total, $39.5 million
is programmed in FY 2005 for rehabilitation of the
bridge. TEA-21 has provided $4 million in High
Priority Project funds for this project. This
project is contingent upon special state legislation
transferring jurisdiction of the bridge to the state
of Illinois , local funding participation and the
retirement of outstanding bonds.
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