IDOT Teams Up With Best Western Hotels of Illinois to Create New State Highway Map

Maps developed through corporate sponsorship save taxpayers more than $100,000

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Milt Sees today announced new state highway maps are available, free of charge, at the 2007 Illinois State Fair. This is the second time IDOT has worked with corporate sponsor Best Western Hotels of Illinois to develop new highway maps for the state. The sponsorship offsets the cost of the project to taxpayers by more than $100,000.

“IDOT creates new state highway maps every two years to make sure Illinois motorists and visitors have the most up to date information while traveling around the state. By working with a corporate sponsor like Best Western, we’re able to offer this valuable resource at a reduced cost,” said IDOT Acting Secretary Milt Sees.

As part of the sponsorship agreement, Best Western Hotels of Illinois pays the state $105,000. That allows the company to display its logo on the map and at map distribution areas throughout Illinois including rest areas, tourism information centers, government facilities, and other areas frequented by motorists. After payment for the corporate sponsorship, the total cost to the state for the maps this year will be $350,240 for the 3.1 million maps produced.

“We are excited and thrilled to be renamed the Sponsor of the Official Highway Map of the State of Illinois,” said Jill Velez, Co-op Chair of Best Western Hotels of Illinois. “It’s been a great partnership.”

The maps are distributed free to the public. Maps will also be shared through the Illinois Office of Tourism as part of the Illinois Travel kit (available worldwide upon request).

Copies of the new map will also be available at the IDOT exhibit located near the Dairy Building at the 2007 Illinois State Fair as well as at the DuQuoin State Fair later this month.