Governor Blagojevich proposes $10.9 billion multiyear Highway Improvement Program

SPRINGFIELD - Acting Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Milt Sees today unveiled Governor Rod R. Blagojevich's $10.9 billion multiyear Highway Improvement Program (MYP) for the Fiscal Years 2008 through 2013. The Multiyear Plan (MYP) focuses on maintenance of the current road system. The MYP complements $3 billion in capital road projects included in Governor Blagojevich's Tax Fairness Plan proposed in Senate Bill 1. The MYP and the bonded capital program would result in nearly $13.9 billion of highway investments over the next six years.

"The Multiyear Road Program, combined with capital projects that will result from our Tax Fairness Plan, will maintain and upgrade roads and bridges and expand our existing transportation network. These are critical investments that will put people to work and make life better for millions of Illinois drivers," said Governor Blagojevich.

The budget proposed in Senate Bill 1 provides additional funding to allow an approximately $3 billion bonded program for new road construction as a result of the gross receipts tax replacing $250 million in existing Illinois State Police and Secretary of State subsidies that have taken place since the 1990s. This will allow $250 million in previously transferred Road Fund monies to pay debt service on bonds for road construction.

In addition, if the gross receipts tax and pension proposal in the Governor's budget are not adopted, pension funding of more than $200 million will be required from the Road Fund over the next four years. The MYP will be reduced and some of the expansion projects as well as some of the congestion mitigation projects would be eliminated from the program if additional pension funding is required.

In the proposed MYP announced today, $7.67 billion will be used on the state's highway system, while $3.21 billion will be used on local roads. On the state system, $5.6 billion - or almost three-fourths - will be used for roadway maintenance, safety and bridge repair. Funding for urban area congestion relief totals $1.4 billion, while $640 million is targeted to expand the system with new roads to increase access and promote economic development

The FY 2008-13 MYP is based upon conservative estimates of federal, state and local funding, including $7.037 billion in federal funds, $3.127 billion in state funds and $711 million in local funds. The federal portion of the MYP is based upon anticipated levels established in the federal transportation legislation known as SAFETEA-LU.

"IDOT is focusing its resources on maintaining the state's network of roads and bridges and on safety improvements," said Acting Transportation Secretary Milt Sees. "But if we want to expand our system and spark economic development, lawmakers must approve a capital bill. And with inflation in the road building industry running as high 15 to 20 percent per year, the longer we wait, the more these projects will cost."

The FY 2008-2013 Proposed Highway Improvement Program will:

• Improve 4,192 miles of highways;

• Replace or rehabilitate 957 bridges;

• Target key projects in northeastern Illinois to address congestion, such as funding additional lanes on Interstate 55 from Interstate 80 to Weber Road and reconstruction of Interstate 90/94 (the Dan Ryan Expressway) from 31st St. to Interstate 57;

• Provide for reinvestment in downstate Illinois for interstate highways such as Interstate 80 from the Henry County line to west of Illinois 251 in Bureau County;

• Provide $431 million for local benefits programs to help cities, counties and townships improve local roads and support economic development;

• Provide funding for railroad crossing safety improvements throughout the state, including funding for grade separation projects such as Pontoon Road over the NS Railroad in Granite City and Illinois 157/Camp Jackson Road over the UP Railroad in Cahokia; and,

• Enhance highway safety as part of the department's regular highway improvement program by targeting specific fatal and severe crash locations and addressing statewide safety concerns.

IDOT's main priorities in the FY 2008-2013 MYP are as follows:

• System Maintenance: $3.805 billion scheduled for reconstruction, resurfacing/widening and safety projects on state maintained highways. This includes $718 million for Interstate resurfacing projects and $271 million for safety improvements.

• Bridge Maintenance: $1.799 billion is scheduled to address bridge needs.

• Congestion Mitigation: $1.424 billion scheduled to address traffic congestion. This includes $104 million for additional lanes on Interstate 55 in Will County.

• System Expansion: $640 million is scheduled to build new roads to increase access for economic development.

The entire FY 2008-2013 MYP is available online at the Illinois Department of Transportation website, www.dot.il.gov

Major Project Highlights:
The following major projects are tentatively scheduled during FY 2008-2013.

Northeastern Illinois

• Interstate 55 at Arsenal Road in Will County. Interchange reconstruction, bridge replacement, land acquisition, lighting and engineering are programmed during FY 2008 2013 at a cost of $59.5 million. Of this total, $3.5 million is programmed in FY 2008 for design, location and environmental studies and engineering for contract plans. 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 55 at Illinois 59 (Cottage Street) in Will County. Bridge replacement, interchange reconstruction, auxiliary lanes, lighting, retaining wall and construction engineering are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at a cost of $22.3 million. Of this total, $2.7 million is programmed in FY 2008 for reconstruction of frontage roads and construction engineering.

• Interstate 55 from Interstate 80 to Weber Road in Will County. Additional lanes and widening and resurfacing for 14.5 miles, commuter parking, bridge repair, police hirebacks and noise barriers are programmed during FY 2008 2013 at a cost of $104.1 million. Of this total, $81.9 million is programmed in FY 2008 for additional lanes, widening and resurfacing, bridge repair and commuter parking.

• Interstate 94/90 (Dan Ryan Expressway) from 31st Street to south of the Interstate 57 Interchange in Cook County. Reconstruction of 8.5 miles of the existing local and express lanes, bridge repairs and replacement, additional ramps, landscaping and construction engineering are currently under way. Knee wall construction, fencing, landscaping, bridge replacement, construction engineering and police hirebacks are programmed during FY 2008 2013 at a cost of $47.7 million. Of this total, $7.5 million is programmed in FY 2008 for bridge replacement at Root Street, police hirebacks and construction engineering.

• Interstate 94 (Bishop Ford Expressway) from west of Martin Luther King Drive to US 6 in Cook County. Resurfacing on 9.6 miles and engineering for contract plans are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at a cost of $20.4 million. Of this total, $625,000 is programmed in FY 2008 for engineering for contract plans.

• US 6 (159th Street) from Interstate 294 to Illinois 1 (Halsted Street). Reconstruction on 2.3 miles, bridge replacement, new structure, railroad relocation, railroad flagger, intersection improvement, construction engineering, utility adjustment and lighting are programmed during FY 2009-2013 at an estimated cost of $56.4 million. TEA-21 provided $1.3 million in HPP funds for this project.

• US 14 (Virginia Street) from West Lake Shore Drive to Crystal Lake Avenue and at Ridgefield Road (south junction). Additional lanes for 4.9 miles, land acquisition, engineering for contract plans and construction engineering are programmed during FY 2009-2013 at an estimated cost of $64 million.

• Illinois 21/US 45 (Milwaukee Avenue) from Willow Road to north of Sanders Road. Reconstruction on 1.6 miles, bridge replacement, intersection reconstruction, construction engineering, traffic signal installation and modernization, signal timing and tree removal are programmed during FY 2008 2013 at an estimated cost of $16.6 million. Of this total, $15.7 million is included in FY 2008 for reconstruction, bridge replacement, intersection reconstruction, construction engineering, traffic signal installation and modernization and signal timing.

• Illinois 21/US 45 (Milwaukee Avenue) from north of Sanders Road to south of Euclid Avenue. Reconstruction on 0.3 mile, intersection improvement, traffic signal modernization, signal timing, land acquisition and engineering for right-of-way are programmed during FY 2009-2013 at an estimated cost of $10.2 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, engineering for contract plans and construction engineering are programmed during FY 2009-2013 at an estimated cost of $38.5 million.

• Illinois 22 (Half Day Road) at Interstate 94 (Tri-State Tollway). Bridge replacement, culvert extension, culvert rehabilitation and construction engineering are programmed during FY 2009-2013 at an estimated cost of $16.1 million.

• Illinois 22 (Half Day Road) from east of Interstate 94 (Tri-State Tollway) to west of US 41 (Skokie Highway). Additional lanes for nearly 3 miles, land acquisition, construction engineering and landscaping are programmed during FY 2009-2013 at an estimated cost of $23.3 million.

• Illinois 53 from Elgin O'Hare Expressway to Army Trail Road. Additional lanes for nearly 4 miles, bridge replacement and land acquisition are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at an estimated cost of $37 million. Of this total, $400,000 is included in FY 2008 for land acquisition.

• Illinois 53 from south of Illinois 56 (Butterfield Road) to Osage Avenue. Additional lanes for 1.1 miles and land acquisition are programmed during FY 2009-2013 at an estimated cost of $7.5 million.

• Illinois 53 from Illinois 64 (North Avenue) to St. Charles Road. Additional lanes for 1.1 miles, bridge rehabilitation and land acquisition are programmed during FY 2009-2013 at an estimated cost of $16.5 million.

• Illinois 56 (Butterfield Road) from Illinois 59 (Joliet Road) to Naperville Road. Additional lanes for 5.3 miles, bridge widening, bridge replacement, land acquisition, construction engineering and bikeway are programmed during FY 2009-2013 at an estimated cost of $74.4 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, bridge replacement, new structure, retaining wall, construction engineering, land acquisition, utility adjustment and landscaping are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at an estimated cost of $82 million. Of this total, $13.7 million is included in FY 2008 for bridge replacement, land acquisition and utility adjustment.

• Illinois 64 (North Avenue) from Kautz Road to Illinois 59 (Ingalton Road). Additional lanes for nearly 3 miles, bridge replacement, retaining wall, land acquisition, construction engineering and lighting are programmed during FY 2009-2013 at an estimated cost of $43.2 million.

• Congress Parkway over South Branch Chicago River. Bridge rehabilitation, bridge new deck, bridge repair, engineering for contract plans and construction engineering are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at an estimated cost of $22.6 million. Of this total, $500,000 is included in FY 2008 for engineering for contract plans.

• Des Plaines River Road from US 12 (Rand Road) to Devon Avenue. Reconstruction on 3.8 miles, land acquisition and engineering for right-of-way are programmed during FY 2009-2013 at an estimated cost of $25 million.

• Elgin O'Hare Expressway from Interstate 290/Illinois 53 to O'Hare Ring Road and O'Hare Ring Road from Interstate 90 (Northwest Tollway) to Interstate 294 (Tri-State Tollway). New construction for 11 miles, engineering for design, location and environmental studies and contract plans, preliminary engineering project managers and land acquisition are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at an estimated cost of $169.7 million. Of this total, $3.5 million is included in FY 2008 for engineering for design, location and environmental studies. These are SAFETEA-LU projects of national and regional significance. SAFETEA-LU provided a total of $140 million for these projects. The department will be engaged in significant community outreach and public involvement throughout the planning process to develop proposals in accordance with the department's Context Sensitive Solutions policy.

Downstate Illinois

• Interstate 55/70 Poplar Street Complex in East St. Louis. Bridge deck overlay on the Interstate 70 Collector/Distributor is programmed during FY 2009-2013 at a cost of $18.7 million.

• Interstate 55/64/70 Interchange (Tri-Level) in East St. Louis. Reconstruction of this interchange at the three routes is necessary to improve traffic operational conditions and provide access to the local street system. Archaeological survey work is programmed during FY 2009 2013 at a cost of $3 million. There is an additional $116.4 million of work on the Tri-Level that is contingent on securing additional special federal funds.

• Interstate 57 from the Coles/Douglas County line to Sadorus Road in Douglas County and Champaign County. Resurfacing on 22.6 miles, bridge repair and safety improvements are programmed during FY 2009 2013 at a cost of $21.7 million.

• Interstate 57 from 0.7 mile south of Illinois 146 in Union County to south of Old Illinois 13 in Williamson County. Resurfacing on 16.5 miles and bridge replacement at Illinois 146 are programmed during FY 2009-2013 at a cost of $23.5 million.

• Interstate 57 at the grade separation with new Illinois 13 in Marion. A bridge replacement, ramp modifications, land acquisition and engineering for contract plans are programmed during FY 2008 2013 at a cost of $35.8 million. Of this total, land acquisition and engineering for contract plans are programmed in FY 2008 at a cost of $1.2 million.

• Interstate 57 from north of Illinois 13 in Marion to 1 mile north of Bonnie in Jefferson County. Rubblization and overlay on 25.4 miles, bridge work, railroad flagger and engineering for contract plans from the Williamson County line to 1 mile north of Bonnie and 8 miles of rubblization and overlay in the southbound lanes from north of Illinois 13 in Marion to the Franklin County line are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at a cost of $78.7 million. Of this total, engineering for contract plans is programmed in FY 2008 at a cost of $450,000.

• Interstate 70 from the Effingham County line east to the North Fork Embarras River in Clark County. Resurfacing on 28.6 miles and safety improvements are programmed during FY 2009 2013 at a cost of $30 million.

• Interstate 72 from the Macon County line to Mattis Avenue in Champaign. Resurfacing on 29.9 miles and bridge work, including a bridge replacement at Staley Road, are programmed during FY 2009-2013 at a cost of $29.4 million.

• Interstate 74/US 6 Mississippi River Corridor in Rock Island County. Engineering for contract plans and land acquisition are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at a cost of $29.9 million. Of this total, engineering for contract plans is programmed in FY 2008 at a cost of $10.3 million. SAFETEA LU provided $4.7 million in HPP funds, $7.5 million in NCII funds, $8.8 million in Bridge Set-Aside funds and $3.5 million in TI funds. In addition, TEA-21 provided $1.6 million in Highway Demonstration funds. Iowa is the lead agency with Illinois sharing the costs.

• Interstate 80 from the Henry County line to west of Illinois 251 in Bureau and LaSalle Counties. Resurfacing on 38.4 miles, bridge replacement or rehabilitation on 17 structures, bridge removal, preliminary engineering, engineering for contract plans, utility adjustment and land acquisition are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at a cost of $95.7 million. Of this total, bridge replacement at Illinois 89 south of Ladd is programmed in FY 2008 at a cost of $3.9 million.

• Interstate 172 from the Interstate 72 Interchange to US 24 northeast of Quincy. Resurfacing on 19.7 miles and bridge work are programmed during FY 2009 2013 at a cost of $28.1 million.

• Interstate 270 from the Mississippi River to County Ditch Bridge. Resurfacing on 8.2 miles, bridge repair and lighting are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at a cost of $31.9 million. Of this total, lighting from the Mississippi River to Illinois 3 is programmed in FY 2008 at a cost of $2 million.

• Interstate 280 from the Mississippi River to Airport Road in Rock Island County. Bridge rehabilitation, new bridge deck, bridge replacement and engineering for contract plans are programmed during FY 2009 2013 at a cost of $21.6 million.

• US 20 (Rockford Bypass) from Falconer Road west of Rockford to 20th Street in Rockford. Resurfacing on 2.7 miles from Falconer Road to Meridian Road southwest of Rockford and new bridge deck at Meridian Road are programmed during FY 2009-2013 at a cost of $3 million. Interchange reconstruction, bridge replacement over Illinois 2, reconstruction on 0.3 mile at the west and east channel of Rock River east of Illinois 2, bridge work, median crossover, engineering for location, environmental and design studies, engineering for contract plans and land acquisition are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at a cost of $47.3 million. Of this total, bridge work is programmed in FY 2008 at a cost of $8 million.

• US 20 from Galena to Freeport. The final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and design report for this project have been approved by the Federal Highway Administration and the Record of Decision was signed September 22, 2005. Engineering for contract plans and land acquisition for the Galena Bypass are under way.

• US 51 - Decatur to Pana. Since 1990, the department has invested $61.1 million on upgrading US 51 to four lanes south of Decatur to north of the Macon/Shelby County line. New construction for 3.7 miles from 0.9 mile south of Moweaqua to 0.1 mile north of Township Road 306 is under way. The remaining work to complete the 15.3 mile section from 0.1 mile north of Township Road 306 to the Shelby County line south of Pana is not currently funded.

• US 51 from south of Pana to Centralia. The continuation of engineering for location, environmental and design studies is programmed during FY 2008-2013 at a cost of $7.6 million, of which $4.6 million is programmed in FY 2008. SAFETEA-LU provided $2.4 million in HPP funds and $4.7 million in TI funds for this work.

• US 67 Corridor. The US 67 corridor extends nearly 229 miles from Rock Island south to Alton. The two and four lane corridor improvement costs awarded to date total more than $697 million and $132 million in projects are programmed during FY 2008-2013. Of this total, $9.9 million is programmed in FY 2008. The estimated unfunded cost to complete the four lane sections in the US 67 corridor from Macomb southward to the Alton Bypass exceeds $1.5 billion.

• US 67 from north of Industry to Illinois 101. Engineering for contract plans is programmed during FY 2009-2013 at a cost of $2.4 million. SAFETEA-LU provided $1.6 million in HPP funds for this work.

• US 67 from the 1.8 miles east of Illinois 100 to 0.2 mile east of Concord/Arenzville Road and at the Illinois River at Beardstown. Engineering for contract plans and land acquisition are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at a cost of $8.8 million. Of this total, land acquisition is programmed in FY 2008 at a cost of $1.7 million. SAFETEA-LU provided $5.6 million in HPP funds and $2 million in TI funds for this work.

• US 67 from Godfrey to Scott County Line. Construction of new bridges and culverts, bridge replacement, grading, construction engineering, engineering for contract plans, land acquisition and utility adjustments are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at a cost of $72.3 million. Of this total, engineering for contract plans and land acquisition are programmed in FY 2008 at a cost of $2.5 million. TEA 21 provided $12.2 million and SAFETEA-LU provided $8.36 million in HPP funds for this work.

• Alton Bypass from Interstate 270 to US 67 in Godfrey. Construction of the four lane Alton Bypass from Interstate 270 to US 67 in Godfrey is in progress. The 13.9-mile segment from Interstate 270 to Fosterburg Road is open to traffic. Grading for the 2.7 mile section from Fosterburg Road to Seminary Road is under way. The completion of land acquisition, paving and signing for this 2.7-mile section are programmed in FY 2007 at a cost of $9.1 million. The completion of contract plans and construction of the remaining 3.9 miles of mainline pavement, 1.7 miles of construction on cross streets and associated work from Seminary Road to US 67 in Godfrey are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at a cost of $48.5 million. Of this total, engineering for contract plans, utility adjustments, land acquisition and cross street construction are programmed in FY 2008 at a cost of $5.7 million. The continuation of engineering for contract plans, land acquisition, utility adjustments and demolition for this 3.9-mile section are programmed in FY 2007 at a cost of $3.7 million.

• Illinois 3 Relocation from Cahokia to Venice. Archaeological survey work is programmed during FY 2008-2013 at a cost of $4.5 million. Of this total, $1.5 million is programmed in FY 2008 for this work. There is an additional $80.8 million for new construction, new bridges, railroad relocation, demolition, land acquisition and utility adjustments contingent on securing additional special federal funds.

• Illinois 15 over the Wabash River at Mt. Carmel. Bridge replacement, construction of the Illinois approach roadway and removal of the existing bridge are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at a cost of $34.4 million. Of this total, bridge replacement and removal of the existing bridge are programmed in FY 2008 at a cost of $33.7 million. This project has been approved for Illinois Major Bridge Program funding. Illinois is the lead agency on this project. Indiana and Illinois will share equally in the cost for the new bridge and removal of the old structure. Indiana will be responsible for funding the additional approach structures required on the Indiana side of the Mt. Carmel Bridge. SAFETEA LU provided $5.6 million in HPP funds for this work.

• Illinois 40 (Knoxville Avenue) from north of Cedar Hills Drive to north of Illinois 6 in Peoria. Construction of additional lanes for 1.7 miles, intersection improvement, land acquisition and utility adjustments are programmed during FY 2008 2013 at a cost of $16 million. Of this total, land acquisition is programmed in FY 2008 at a cost of $500,000.

• Illinois 158 from the Illinois 3 structure at Columbia to the Illinois 15 ramp south in Belleville. Widening and resurfacing on 12.2 miles, a bridge replacement, curve corrections, vertical realignment, left turn lanes, land acquisition and utility adjustments are programmed during FY 2008 2013 at a cost of $28.7 million. Of this total, utility adjustments and land acquisition are programmed in FY 2008 at a cost of $4.3 million.

• Illinois 336 - Macomb to Peoria Corridor. Engineering for location, environmental and design studies began in fall 2002. The continuation of engineering for location, environmental and design studies and the engineering for soil plans and contract plans are programmed during FY 2008-2013 at a cost of $12 million. Of this total, the continuation of engineering for location, environmental and design studies is programmed in FY 2008 at a cost of $1.3 million. SAFETEA-LU provided $5.2 million in HPP funds and $2 million in TI funds for this work.