Governor Quinn Statement on Passage of Federal Transportation Bill

CHICAGO – June 29, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today released the following statement regarding the passage of the federal transportation bill.

“Today’s news from Washington D.C. is a step in the right direction for Illinois.”

“The federal transportation bill that passed today will provide $4.1 billion dollars for Illinois highways and $1.5 billion for Illinois public transit over the next three years. In addition to the $14 billion we are investing through our Illinois Jobs Now! capital program, we will build a first-class transportation system for the people of Illinois, while creating or retaining approximately 200,000 jobs.

“We are extremely grateful to Senator Dick Durbin and Congressman Jerry Costello, with whom we worked closely to fight hard to strengthen our infrastructure and improve our roads, streets, bridges and transit systems. Without their relentless efforts, Illinois could have been left behind by the original House proposal.

“I also want to thank the members of the Illinois Congressional delegation who fought for more resources for the Highway Trust Fund similar to the levels of the bipartisan bill that passed the U.S. Senate. Now that this bill has passed, I urge the House leadership to continue working to identify additional resources for the Highway Trust Fund, which will pave the way for more economic growth.”

“The Illinois Department of Transportation is reviewing the legislation to determine its full impact on Illinois, but we know that Illinois will receive a larger percentage of funds than in previous bills and obtain more revenue back from Washington. As a result, Illinois will move from 7th in the nation to 6th in overall highway transportation dollars received from the federal government.

“This investment will help us continue to fund safety improvements across Illinois, bolster all modes of transportation, increase our seatbelt usage -- which stands at 93.6 percent -- and reduce roadway fatalities, which have remained under 1,000 in Illinois for each of the past three years. We will also continue to protect the environment while ensuring that projects move ahead as efficiently as possible.

“I look forward to President Barack Obama signing this important legislation, which will allow Illinois to continue moving forward to strengthen our transportation network and put more people to work.”